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Silver Sneakers program helps seniors stay healthy through focus on exercise
February 26, 2020
"A lot of seniors do not have a huge income,” said Shelton, “so Medicare Advantage really helps so that you're able to go to the gym as often as you'd like."
GREAT FALLS – Thousands of seniors statewide over the age of 65 depend on Medicare for their health needs, but some are finding new ways to make the most of their benefits, especially workout fans.
A town hall Thursday at Access Fitness had members of the community talk about the Silver Sneakers program. Under Medicare Advantage, which is different from regular Medicare, seniors get a free gym membership through private companies approved by Medicare.
Access Fitness Gym Instructor Jan Shelton herself takes part in the program, and she said Silver Sneakers has helped her maintain her health since she enrolled in her 60s. She turns 81 next week.
As someone who’s taught exercise for over four decades, Jan said she’s proud to do her part in helping seniors better their health through hosting aerobics and similar fitness sessions. She explained how the gym membership featured encourages older adults to visit the gym and get fit physically and mentally through regular exercise, without having to worry about costs for using the facility.
“A lot of seniors do not have a huge income,” said Shelton, “so Medicare Advantage really helps so that you’re able to go to the gym as often as you’d like.”
She was one of a few other fitness instructors at the gym town hall, talking with others about her own experiences during her time enrolled in the program. As long as there’s no reason to stop, Shelton said she’ll continue exercising as much as she can.
Of course, exercising at home is still a valid option if you’d prefer not to go to the gym either way. Still, if you’d like to learn more about Silver Sneakers and what else it includes, you can visit the program’s official website.
On top of that, Medicare Advantage typically covers all Medicare services, and may include extra coverage like vision, hearing and dental depending on what you’re with. To find out more about how Medicare Advantage plans work, you can drop by Medicare.gov.
Originally published in ABC FOX Montana
