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Help your patients stay healthy in mind, body, and spirit throughout the holiday season with SilverSneakers®

October 30, 2015

For many of your older patients, keeping active and making healthy choices becomes more of a struggle once the winter weather and holiday temptations begin to creep in. Some people even feel blue when the holidays come around. That?s why now is the perfect time to prepare your patients to take on the holidays with a healthy mindset and a solid fitness plan to help them bring in the new year with a new attitude, good habits, and a healthier lifestyle. .

The Healthways SilverSneakers Fitness Program can help your patients stay healthy, physically and emotionally, throughout the holiday season and beyond! The nation?s leading exercise program for active older adults, SilverSneakers is a fitness benefit included with many Medicare plans. Your Independence Medicare Advantage patients may be eligible but not yet taking advantage of their SilverSneakers benefit.

The program offers Keystone 65 Select HMO, Keystone 65 Preferred HMO, and Personal Choice 65SM PPO members a fitness membership with access to more than 13,000 locations nationwide. So even if members are traveling over the holidays, they can still visit a fitness center. Members have access to exercise equipment, swimming pools, and fitness classes* like yoga, water-based strengthening, cardio, and more — all designed specifically for older adults. A Program Advisor® walks them through the process step by step, so it?s easy to get started. If the weather is bad, there are at-home options too.

SilverSneakers isn?t just a fitness program — it?s a social group. Social outings, walking groups, and workout buddies are some of the most popular aspects of the program. In addition to fitness center classes, SilverSneakers organizes classes and activities at parks, recreation centers, and other local venues where members can exercise, talk, and visit together, all while working toward a common goal — wellness! In fact, 37 percent of SilverSneakers members report they attend class to socialize, 68 percent of members participate in classes with a friend, and 34 percent participate with a spouse or significant other. What better way to fight the holiday blues?1

New Year?s Day (January 1) is the day most people decide to commit to big lifestyle changes, but forming good habits before the cookies, eggnog, and casseroles hit the table will set your patients up for a successful new year! Please encourage your patients to use their SilverSneakers benefit to keep active and even make some new friends over the holiday season. .

Refer your Independence Medicare Advantage patients to the Silver Sneakers website or 1-888-423-4632 (TTY: 711) for more information.

*Amenities vary by location.
1According to Healthways® 2014 SilverSneakers Annual Participation Survey.
SilverSneakers® is a registered trademark of Healthways, Inc., an independent company.


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