Exercising with Silver Sneakers

Story by Carol Stuart, Livingston Parish News

Gray heads held high on straight shoulders sport wide smiles. Opening strains of "Give My Regards to Broadway" turn those smiles into grins. In spite of the stormy weather, the most faithful SilverSneakers have arrived promptly at Spectrum Fitness and eagerly begin their aerobics class.

"March it out! Swing those arms! Step, touch, step touch," instructor Phyllis Day urges them, and they keep on smiling. After an interval of clapping, alternating feet and arms and pushing out heels, then toes, they are allowed to sit for a while, but not to stop moving. Cooling down and watching their breathing, they sing along to "When You're Smiling," as they move their arms and legs, in out and around.

The class started on the first of February with a handful of seniors whose Spectrum membership and exercise class was paid for by Humana. They met two days a week and the Axia Heath Management SilverSneakers Fitness Program was remarkably successful. Sessions were increased almost immediately to three days a week and are now offered on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:30 to 11:15 am. Membership currently stands at 150, but only 30 to 40 attend on any given day.

Brought back to their feet by "All that Jazz" the newly fit seniors bounce around some more before balancing on one foot then moving back into moreaerobics with arm swinging and feet moving- step, touch, step, touch. No one gives out and sits down, although they've all been moving steadily for 30 minutes. Nevertheless, instructor Phyllis Day makes them sit down and take a drink of water before getting back into motion for the final 15 minutes.

Two charter members, Lois Avara, 74, and Alice Lemoine, 68, don't notice as much difference in their endurance because they have always been active, primarily working in their yards. Lemoine jokes that she comes to class to rest, but also finds the exercise class helps her mentally.

"It makes me feel great about myself," Lemoine said. "Not looking in the mirror, but saying I'm 68 and I feel like I'm 38."

The majority of the class are women, but there are a couple of single men and several couples who enjoy exercising together.

Joseph Lowe, 76 and his wife Joy, 75, who both have arthritis, have been coming for a little over two months. They used to walk in the mall, but found it got boring. They still walk there on Wednesdays to visit with their old friends, but they spend the other three weekday mornings at Spectrum where they've made even more friends.

"This is not boring," Joy said, adding that their rheumatologist is thrilled, and that the varied SilverSneakers exercises "help to get me moving in the morning."

J.C. Berry, 80, and his wife Octavia, 78, have had a similar experience. They'd been walking in the mall for eight years and still walk for weight maintenance when they can't make it to class.

"We also use the weights and bands and ball here," J.C. said, "which we would never do at home."

All three devices are employed during the exercise cycle, first the weights, to increase the effect of arm movements, then the bands for resistance in strength training, then the balls which are also used for resistance but in the final section of the program are used to increase manual dexterity and flexibility. Exercisers first dribble them and toss them in the air for eye-hand coordination, then manipulate them with hands and fingers.

"Our instructors are excellent and compassionate," Jay Lowe said. "They'll tell us to sit down if we're not up to a particular exercise."

Clyde Myers, 83, and his wife Jean, 79, had always been active, not only in gyms, but golfing, hiking and swimming, until Clyde had a knee replacement and both were out for three months.

"We've taken classes before and Phyllis is the best!"