Saint Joseph’s College of Maine Welcomes SilverSneakers® into Community

by SJC Press Room

SilverSneakers participants exercise in Saint Joseph's College of Maine dance studio (Photo: Evan Loignon).

The Alfond Center at Saint Joseph’s College of Maine is expanding its adult fitness classes to include the nationally recognized SilverSneakers® program. SilverSneakers–the nation’s leading community fitness program designed exclusively for older adults– offers a way to motivate older adults to increase their levels of physical activity and remain socially active. The College will celebrate a SilverSneakers Launch Week on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, March 12, 14, and 15, 2019. On those three days during Launch Week, classes will be free and door prizes will be awarded.

President James Dlugos, Ph.D. said, “The College welcomes SilverSneakers participants into the College’s broader learning community. We see ourselves as an intergenerational community where a great deal of creativity and mutual learning occurs with integration. The College’s café, swimming pool, lakefront access, woodland trails, indoor and outdoor tracks, and other spaces offer the opportunity to gather and socialize in our community.”

Associate Director of Health & Wellness Programming Jenna Chase said, “For over a decade, we have been welcoming older adults into aquatic classes in the SJC swimming pool. For the past few years, we have also been supporting the fitness of older adults in our dance studio. We are pleased to expand further and add SilverSneakers to our offerings.”

SilverSneakers helps older adults take greater control of their health through a variety of fitness offerings that engages participants in more frequent strength training, aerobic, and flexibility exercise and by providing access to a variety of venues and programming designed specifically for older adults. There are more than 14.5 million people eligible for the SilverSneakers benefit through the nation’s leading Medicare Advantage health plans, Medicare Supplement carriers and group retiree plans.  For those members, the benefit is offered at no additional cost.

SilverSneakers Instructor Chelsea Diamond teaches a fitness class for older adults in the Alfond Center at Saint Joseph's College of Maine (Photo: Evan Loignon).