Silver Sneakers’ classes promote health, happiness and friendship

BELEN — Regular physical activity is good for the body and mind but, as bodies age, keeping an exercise routine may prove necessary.

Getting and staying active as we grow older can have numerous benefits, and the Silver Sneakers program is designed to help older adults do just that, and it is covered by Medicare and other types of insurance.

The Silver Sneakers class at Elite Muscle Gym and Fitness Center in Belen has been going strong for many years, and so has its dedicated and active participants.

Gay Conger has been instructing the class for about six years, and the 81-year-old retired physical therapist says the program’s motto, “Fun, Fitness and Fellowship,” is exactly what is happening in her classes.

“They make new friends here and they also reconnect with each other from way back when,” Conger said of her members. “The number of people who attend the class fluctuates, depending on the weather and other factors.

“It’s just so important that when you get older you stay active, to work on the balance and coordination, and of course, the social aspect,” Gay said. “When you get older, we have a lot of folks who have lost their spouses, and they tend to isolate themselves. This is an outlet for them.”

The Silver Sneakers classes at Elite is held from 10:30-11:30 a.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

For the past 15 years, Josie Romero, of Rio Communities, and her husband, Alan Cox, have been faithfully attending the class for many reasons.

“We just come and we all have a great time and laugh,” Josie says. “We can all talk to each other; this is where we socialize.”

While Medicare will pay for Silver Sneakers’ memberships at 65 years and older, Josie couldn’t wait. After she retired, she wanted something to do, so she joined and paid the gym membership when she was 62. When she reached 65, she was all in.

“We do this because we need to. I really believe Gay is so good,” said Josie, who is 77 years old. “We exercise everything — we do the stretching, we use the bands and lift weights. We are getting stronger and, by God, if you don’t move you know what happens.”

Gay, a certified classic instructor, says her class focuses on fall prevention drills and exercises to improve strength and endurance. A chair and hand-held weights are also used.

“There are more energetic certifications for seniors who want to be really active,” Gay said, “but we don’t offer them here — yet.”

Other programs under Silver Sneakers, which can also be found in online classes, include yoga, circuit, cardio mix, water exercise and others.

Also 77 years old, Anita Hendrix, of Belen, began taking the Silver Sneakers class three years ago after the Covid pandemic. She had been doing Jazzercise, but it became a little too much for her.

“This is low impact and more designed for stability, stretching. Balance is a very important factor in this program,” Hendrix said. “It doesn’t wear you out as far as exercise programs go. It helps seniors strengthen our bodies.”

Hendrix recently returned to the program after taking care of her ill husband, who, unfortunately recently passed away. She said she noticed a significant difference in her balance and mobility when she wasn’t exercising.

“My body just loves it and I feel so much better. My mind is sharper, and the social connection is also very important,” she said. “I have more confidence in just the way I move. I’m more stable and it means a lot, especially for people our age.”

Ramona Silva not only attends the class three days a week, but the 72-years-old Belenite walks four miles two days a week.

“I can tell it’s been helping my body a lot since I retired,” said Silva, who has had two knee replacement surgeries. “Exercise, to me, is very important.”

A few weeks ago, Silva experienced a fall. She went to her doctor and the recommendation was for her to go to physical therapy, but she thought otherwise.

“I told my doctor I didn’t need physical therapy because I have Gay. I just needed a couple of days off and I came back. Just with her exercise, after a couple of weeks, I feel better. I’m back to myself.

“I love coming here. I’m going to continue coming here as long as I can — and as long as we have (Gay).”

One of the newbies in the class is 75-year-old Sandra Sanchez, who has been exercising in the Silver Sneakers class for the last eight months.

“I enjoy coming because of the camaraderie, the friendships you develop. When you fall, they pick you up,” Sanchez said. “I feel more energetic. Instead of plopping down on the couch, I can go outside and work on my flower garden.”

One of the more active participants in the class is Gay’s husband, Reynold, who is a self-described exercise nut himself. He encourages anyone and every one to get up and start moving, regardless of one’s age.

“I think more people need to exercise. Most people just don’t get enough exercise to keep healthy,” Reynold said. “In my case, I’ve been a gym member here for about 20 years and, when I joined, I was running marathons and doing a full gym workout.”

After joining Silver Sneakers eight years ago, he would continue to do his full gym workout along with the classic program.

Unfortunately, Reynold suffered a stroke five years ago and lost 20 percent of function in his left side. Despite the setback, he’s determined to maintain and regain his strength.

“I need the exercise just to keep functioning. When I get done here ... I’ll do a partial gym workout primarily to strengthen my left side,” he said. “After having been through therapy, I’m working on maintaining or improving my muscle strength. I’ve sort of turned into a physical fitness nut just to stay level.”

Being able to connect with her members, Gay says she’s happy she’s made a difference in the lives of people who she’s helping. She also gives credit to the owners of Elite, Mario and Pauline Vallejos, for supporting the program and clients.

“They provide this local outlet for teenagers but they also want to be here for and are advocates for our seniors,” Gay said of the Vallejos’. “I think they have a soft spot for our seniors. They want this program to continue here and are actively looking for other instructors to possibly expand the program.”