The SilverSneakers Fitness Program offers a unique blend of physical activity, healthy lifestyle and socially oriented programming that enables older adults to take greater control of their health. It is available at no additional cost to individuals who belong to participating Medicare health plans or Medicare Supplement carriers. When you enroll in SilverSneakers you receive:

• A free basic membership at a local participating fitness center with access to conditioning classes, exercise equipment, pool, sauna and other amenities that accompany the basic membership
• Access to any participating fitness center throughout the U.S. while traveling
• Customized SilverSneakers classes designed exclusively for older adults who want to improve their strength, flexibility, balance and endurance
• Health education seminars and other events that promote the benefits of a healthy lifestyle
• A specially trained Senior Advisor at the fitness center to introduce you to SilverSneakers and acquaint you with their site

Yes. Each fitness center will provide either group or individual fitness center tours and fitness equipment demonstrations. Tell the front desk staff when you arrive that you would like to take a tour.

Senior Advisors are employees of participating SilverSneakers fitness centers and are available during hours when you are most likely to visit the center. Usually, this is Monday through Friday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The Senior Advisor is trained extensively to assist you in enrollment, fitness center tours and equipment orientation. In addition to assuring quality and service, the Senior Advisor serves as a contact for you, someone who can answer all of your questions and make sure you feel comfortable and welcome.

Not all fitness centers participate in the SilverSneakers Fitness Program. Centers have been or will be chosen because of their geographic accessibility, safety and senior-friendly atmosphere. Search our site to find a participating fitness center near you ("Locate a Participating Fitness Center" above).

A general rule is to wear comfortable clothing. Breathable, non-binding fabric such as cotton is best. Participants should also wear comfortable, rubber-soled shoes (not black-soled). Check with your fitness center for suggestions on appropriate clothing.

Contact your health plan member services or search "Locate a Participating Fitness Center" (top left of page) to find a location near you.

If you belong to a Medicare health plan that offers SilverSneakers, you can enroll in the program by visiting a participating fitness center near you. If you’d like to enroll by visiting a nearby fitness center, follow these easy steps:

Step 1:   Take your health plan membership ID card to one of the participating SilverSneakers fitness centers near you. To locate a fitness center, click on "Locate a Participating Fitness Center" above.

Step 2:   Tell the person at the front desk that you want to enroll in SilverSneakers. The Senior Advisor or another staff member will help you through the enrollment process.

Step 3:   A fitness center staff member will take you on a tour and show you all the equipment, the exercise room where SilverSneakers Classes will be held, and where the locker rooms are located.

Step 4:   Start taking control of your health with your new SilverSneakers membership!

If you are a member of a Medicare health plan that offers the SilverSneakers Fitness Program, you can enroll at no additional cost to you! If your health plan doesn't offer SilverSneakers, contact their member services and ask them when they are planning to provide it.

You can go to the participating fitness center of your choice at any time to enroll in SilverSneakers. However, between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday through Friday, a Senior Advisor is available to answer any questions you may have. If you would like this assistance but can't go to a fitness center during these times, you can call the fitness center and schedule an appointment with the Senior Advisor at a convenient time for both of you.

You will need to take your health plan membership ID card with you for your first visit. You might also want to take your reading glasses with you!

The process will take approximately 30 minutes. If you wish to have a tour of the fitness center during this visit, please allow a few additional minutes.

SilverSneakers Classes are total body conditioning classes designed to increase muscular strength, endurance, range of movement, flexibility, balance, agility and coordination. They range from 45 to 60 minutes in length and are offered several times per week. For more information on SilverSneakers Classes, click here.

SilverSneakers Classes are taught by certified instructors from nationally recognized certification programs who also have special training in older adult fitness.

Yes. All instructors are CPR-certified and are aware of the procedures to follow in case of an emergency. They have been trained in the proper and safe programming of SilverSneakers Classes.

Yes. Members of Medicare health plans that do not offer SilverSneakers may still take the class; however, they will need to purchase a basic membership at the participating fitness center.

The fitness centers selected for the network are carefully screened to ensure you are provided with a safe and friendly environment. Some of the criteria for selection include location, quality (including the variety and quality of programs and equipment), excellent customer service, and accessibility.

If the fitness center you belong to is a participating SilverSneakers location, you will need to request that your existing membership be "frozen." If your fitness center is NOT a participating SilverSneakers location, you can switch to a SilverSneakers location, but your original membership will NOT be "frozen." In other words, you will be responsible for all previous arrangements between you and the non-participating fitness center. The Senior Advisor can provide further details for you.

The SilverSneakers health status survey gathers information about the physical and mental health of our members and their healthy lifestyle behaviors. In addition, we gather general demographic information to ensure we are attracting a cross section of the health plan membership.

The health status surveys are collected during the first few months in a new market. After that, we mail surveys to a sample of members.

Surveys are sent to a random sample of 2,000 SilverSneakers members from most health plans. For very large health plans, we may collect a larger sample.

No, it is not mandatory to respond to all the questions on the survey. However, we encourage members to complete as much information as possible so we can track their health changes over time.

Aggregated information is shared with the member’s health plan to demonstrate the impact of the SilverSneakers Fitness Program.

The member satisfaction survey assesses member satisfaction with their health plan, fitness center, and the SilverSneakers Fitness Program as well as the impact of the program on members' healthy lifestyles.

The member satisfaction survey is mailed annually to a sample of members.

Surveys are sent to a random sample of 1,000 SilverSneakers members from most health plans. For very large health plans, we may collect a larger sample.

No, it is not mandatory to respond to all of the questions on the survey. However, we encourage members to complete as much information as possible so we can ensure we are meeting their needs.

Information is shared with the member’s health plan to demonstrate member satisfaction with the program.

Please see Member Online Community Frequently Asked Questions.