Silver Sneakers

[dr.mel_PT]

Hi Cathe! I remember you talking about your teaching a Silver Sneakers class at your gym. I'm a physical therapy student and one of my patients was telling me about her SS class; she said that people coming from all mobility backgrounds participate, some even in wheelchairs. I was wondering: do you have to screen your participants prior to their working out (blood pressure, saO2 sat, glucose levels, etc?). Also,is it just you in the room or are there others to assist in case someone needs help?

I love the idea of this program and didnt realize how much goes into it before I started working in PT!

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Melisa! Silver Sneakers is a licensed program. Silver Sneakers reps will come evaluate your facility to see if your fitness room/facility meets their standard requirements to hold a silver sneakers program at your place.

Silver Sneakers works with a particular health insurance company which covers the cost of the participants health club membership plus the participant must have a statement from their doctor saying that they have had a current physical and are able to participate in the class.

Then the class itself is designed and implemented on Silver Sneakers terms. As an instructor, you must attend a Silver Sneakers Certifying Workshop in order to teach it plus you will have a Silver Sneakers rep come once a year to evaluate you as you perform your class live.

For every 15 people an assistant is required to be in the room to help you teach it. I have taught this class for 7 years now and I LOVE it!

Good Luck if you do it!