New York, NY — New York City’s YMCA received a grant to launch Enhance®Fitness, an Arthritis Management Program at the Staten Island Broadway and Cross Island YMCAs because of their strong leadership in programming for older adults and their current partnerships with other older adult serving organizations.

New York City’s older adult population is rapidly growing, and this program has proven to bring a number of benefits to older adults. Benefits that include, increasing participants’ strength, balance, flexibility, mood, general activity level, and independence when they attend on a regular basis.

Nationwide, a growing number of Y associations offer Enhance®Fitness, an evidence-based group exercise program for older adults that uses simple, easy-to-learn movements that motivate individuals, particularly those with arthritis, to stay active throughout their life.

The program has been nationally recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US Department of Health and Human Services, US Department on Aging, and the National Council on Aging.

According to “Implementation and effectiveness of a community-based health promotion program for older adults” in the Journal of Gerontology, there are proven results of a 90% participant retention rate with 53% of participants experiencing an improvement in depression, 35% improvement in physical functioning and fewer hospitalizations than those of non-participants.

In addition to the physical benefits, research has shown that, among older adults who participate in Enhance®Fitness, health costs were lowered each year by close to $1,000.

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About New York City's YMCA
New York City's YMCA is here for all New Yorkers — to empower youth, improve health, and strengthen community. Founded in 1852, today the Y serves a diverse population of more than half a million New Yorkers who learn, grow, and thrive through programs and services at our 24 branches. Community is the cornerstone of the Y. Together, we connect active, engaged New Yorkers to build stronger communities. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @ymcanyc.