ICAA
and the SilverSneakers® program partner to promote fitness for older
adults
VANCOUVER, BC
(July 19, 2005)-The International Council on Active Aging® (ICAA),the
world's largest trade association for the senior fitness and
wellness industry, and the SilverSneakers® Fitness Program, the
leading fitness program in the United States designed exclusively
for older adults, are joining forces to advance fitness for the
mature population. Effective immediately, SilverSneakers, the
signature offering of Arizona-based HealthCare Dimensions (HCD),
will become the ICAA's official Group Exercise Partner. Under this
new partnership, the ICAA and HCD will promote active living for
older adults to ICAA members through the SilverSneakers Fitness
Program.
With the number of
older Americans expected to more than double to 70 million by 2030,
according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), the importance of healthy, active lifestyles in this
population has increased.
"People who are
physically active, eat a healthy diet, do not use tobacco, and
practice other healthy behaviors reduce their risk for chronic
diseases and have half the rate of disability of those who do not,"
states the CDC. Both chronic diseases (such as heart disease, cancer
and arthritis) and disability place a heavy health and economic
burden on individuals and society. By engaging in regular physical
activity, older Americans can prevent, delay or manage these health
issues. The State of Aging and Health in America, 2004, published by
the CDC and Merck Institute of Aging and Health, notes that
increasing physical activity "could reduce direct medical costs by
$77 billion annually (in 2000 dollars)." That's because "inactive
adults have significantly higher direct medical costs than active
adults," the report explains, "and the costs associated with
physical inactivity increase with age."
The partnership
between the ICAA and the SilverSneakers® Fitness Program aims to
help more older adults become physically active. The award-winning
SilverSneakers program encourages Medicare-eligible individuals to
increase their levels of physical activity and motivates them to
stay active. HCD works with Medicare Advantage health plans and
Medicare Supplement carriers to offer the physical activity,
lifestyle and socially oriented benefit program to older adults in
selected fitness centers and class sites across the United States.
SilverSneakers
includes a free basic membership to a network fitness center, with
access to all amenities and the program's signature group exercise
class.
Members also enjoy
social events, as well as health seminars and workshops.
Additionally,
SilverSneakers' unique national reciprocity program allows members
to use any participating fitness center across the nation.
"We are very
excited about this new partnership with the ICAA," says Mary
Swanson, founder, president and chief executive officer of
HealthCare Dimensions. "Our SilverSneakers program is a natural fit
with the ICAA's mission to change society's perceptions of aging
while improving the quality of life for the older population.
SilverSneakers' innovative blend of physical activity, healthy
lifestyle and socially oriented programming allows older adults to
take greater control of their health, and this new venture with the
ICAA will allow us to further promote those ideals."
"We are delighted
to announce SilverSneakers' involvement with the ICAA as Group
Exercise Partner," says Colin Milner, the ICAA's founder and chief
executive officer. "This program's innovative approach, extensive
experience and demonstrated success with group fitness programming
for older adults make them an exciting choice as ICAA Group Exercise
Partner," he continues. "ICAA members will benefit from this
partnership by having new opportunities to promote physical activity
to older adults in their communities. This will advance our shared
goal of Changing the Way We Age®."
About the
SilverSneakers® Fitness Program
The SilverSneakers®
Fitness Program is the nation's leading fitness program designed
exclusively for older adults. The award-winning program is the
signature offering of HealthCare Dimensions (HCD), a Tempe,
Arizona-based organization that promotes health through unique
physical activity programs and venues. HCD serves as the cornerstone
of AXIA Health Management's suite of products that strive to improve
the health of individuals in specific population segments. AXIA
provides comprehensive, integrated health management programs that
prevent or delay the effects of disease or injury. HCD works with
Medicare Advantage health plans and Medicare Supplement carriers to
offer SilverSneakers to older adults in nearly 1,100 contracted
fitness centers and class sites across the United States. Today,
nearly 1.8 million Medicare beneficiaries in 31 states are eligible
for the program. For more information about the SilverSneakers®
Fitness Program, please call 1-800-295-4993 or visit
www.silversneakers.com .
About the
International Council on Active Aging®
The International
Council on Active Aging® (ICAA) is the world's largest association
dedicated to changing the way we age by uniting and working with
professionals in the retirement, assisted living, recreation,
fitness, rehabilitation and wellness fields. It connects like-minded
professionals who share the goals of changing society's perceptions
of aging and improving the quality of life for aging Baby Boomers
and older adults within the six dimensions of wellness. The council
supports these professionals with education, information, resources
and tools, so they can achieve optimal success with this growing
market.
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ICAA
and the SilverSneakers® program partner to promote fitness for older
adults