Y Seniors enjoy Valentine’s Day lunch

SilverSneakers and senior members at the YMCA in Greenville always enjoy their monthly carry-in lunches, but the fifth annual tradition of a spaghetti meal prepared by CEO Sam Casalano is one of their favorites. This year’s spaghetti dinner was served the day before Valentine’s Day, and even the particularly nasty weather outside was not enough to keep the fans away.

Casalano spent his morning toiling over a hot stove preparing the dish that always brings applause when he brings it in to share. As always, he was peppered with requests to share the recipe as well. The seniors waited respectfully as he offered a prayer on the meaning of love, our duty to share God’s love, and our purpose of walking in God’s path. He then served the line of hungry and grateful guests.

As the SilverSneakers members ate their pasta and a wide array of other dishes prepared by their peers, Casalano spoke about February being American Heart Month.

“Half of all Americans have at least one of the top three risk factors for heart disease,” he said, noting high blood pressure, high cholesterol and smoking as the biggest culprits. He advised the guests to take steps to manage their health conditions, and avoid the behaviors that can exacerbate heart conditions, such as inactivity and unhealthy eating.

Casalano praised the attendees for making a commitment to stay active with their participation in the SilverSneakers program.

SilverSneakers is a program included with many Medicare Advantage plans, enabling eligible participants to enroll in fitness programs and facilities at no additional cost to them. The plan provider pays a per-visit fee to the YMCA for participants.

In addition to facility use, SilverSneakers members at the YMCA of Darke County may also enroll in specialized group exercise classes at no additional charge.

“SilverSneakers is a great program for keeping seniors active and healthy, so we’re happy to support it as much as we can,” Casalano said later.

Several providers of supplemental health coverage offer the SilverSneakers program; ask your agent about your options when shopping for a plan, because a more active lifestyle can be one of the most important things you do to keep your heart healthy.