()Joanne C. was 75 when she suffered a stroke in 2012 that left her paralysed on both her right and left sides. She refused to accept the fact that she would end up in a wheelchair. Instead, she began rehabilitation to try to restore her health and get her body back to normal.

Joanne worked hard. She is now strong and able to move again. In large part, she credits her SilverSneakers exercise classes – offered through her HumanaChoice® PPO, a Medicare Advantage preferred provider organization (PPO) health plan – as key to her successful recovery.

SilverSneakers membership helped Joanne to stay in good health before her stroke. “SilverSneakers helped me be familiar with many of the exercises they had me do in physical therapy and gave me the confidence and strength to persevere through a difficult rehab process,”Joanne

Numerous studies including Tivity Health’s SilverSneakers Annual Member Survey (2016), confirm that exercise, especially when with others, is good for older adults’ mental and physical well-being.

There are many obstacles that can prevent Medicare beneficiaries from joining fitness classes and gyms.

Humana offers SilverSneakers as part of its Medicare Advantage (MA), plans. This allows more Medicare beneficiaries to exercise.

It can be difficult for people on a fixed income to join a gym. SilverSneakers gives access to the gym at no extra cost to many Humana MA members, including those in Florida or Texas. SilverSneakers is a partner with nearly 14,000 wellness and fitness centers across the U.S., and SilverSneakers members have national reciprocity to allow them access to all of these facilities.

This program is specifically designed to benefit Medicare beneficiaries and is taught and modified by certified instructors. These instructors have been specially trained to prevent stress-related injury to joints and muscles.

You can also find a variety of classes, such as circuit training, yoga and Latin dance. There is even an outdoor bootcamp. SilverSneakers members can also access all facilities’ amenities. These include weight rooms, exercise equipment and swimming pools.

“According to Tivity Health’s annual survey, SilverSneakers has made a significant difference in the lives of many of our Medicare Advantage members, not only in their physical health, but also in their social life,”Lauri Kalanges M.D. is Humana’s Medical Director for Medicare Products in the Mid-Atlantic Region.

Tivity Health’s Annual Member Survey of 2016 showed that 91 per cent of SilverSneakers members reported a higher quality of life. SilverSneakers’ impact on health has been significant, with fewer hospitalizations and a lower risk of depression.

Visit www.SilverSneakers.com for more information. www.silversneakers.com.

Humana is a Medicare Advantage PPO/HMO, PFFS and PPO organization with a Medicare contract. Contract renewal is required to enroll in any Humana plan. This information is not an exhaustive list of benefits. For more information, please contact your plan. There may be restrictions, copayments or limitations. Benefits can change every year. SilverSneakers may not be available on all Humana MA plans.

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