More than 2,000 seniors to compete in sports and games throughout southeastern PA
Philadelphia, PA – Independence Blue Cross (Independence) will once again sponsor the Senior Games, held at various times and locations from May through July in the five-county Philadelphia region. Each year, the Senior Games bring more than 2,000 area adults, ages 50 and older, together in organized games and sporting events to show their commitment to staying physically and mentally fit.
Now more than ever it is imperative to promote healthy and active lifestyles for seniors. According to a national report, every eight seconds a Baby Boomer turns 50, and by 2020 the U.S. population over 65 will triple. This will create unprecedented challenges to health care and aging services.
“The Senior Games are a fun and competitive activity to bring together not only seniors, but also their families, friends, and the community to achieve a common goal: staying fit and healthy,” said Robert Smith, Independence’s vice president of Sales and Marketing for Government Markets. “The Games are also proof that everyone can improve the quality of their lives at any age by staying active.”
The games feature a wide variety of activities including swimming, running, golf, bowling, table tennis, track and field, horseshoes, dance, shuffleboard, chess, and Scrabble®, sponsored by the Departments of Recreation and/or Services for the Aging in each county.
Winners from counties throughout Pennsylvania will go on to compete in the state games in Hershey, PA, held July 14 – 20. State winners will then be invited to participate in the national Senior Games in 2015, which will take place July 3 – 16, in Bloomington/Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, and are expected to draw nearly 13,000 participants.
Independence has served as the leading sponsor of the Philadelphia Department of Parks and Recreation’s Senior Games in Philadelphia county since they began in the mid-1980s. The 2014 Philadelphia Games will open with an Expo, track and field, swimming, and various indoor events at Abraham Lincoln High School in Philadelphia on June 14 with activities running through June 20. In addition, a triathalon will be held on July 19 at the Kelly Pool, Fairmount Park – Memorial Hall in Philadelphia.
Montgomery County’s Senior Games commenced the week of May 5, followed by Chester County’s games on May 22, 27, and 28, and Bucks County’s games the week of June 2. For more information or to register for the games, seniors can contact their county Department of Parks and Recreation or Department of Aging Services. Registration fees, numbers of participants, and other details will vary from county to county. More information can be found at Senior Games.
About the Senior Games The Senior Games were created in 1985 by the National Senior Games Association to promote a healthy, social, and active lifestyle among older adults. The first national games were held in 1987 in St. Louis, MO, with 2,500 participants. For more information visit the National Senior Games Association.
About Independence Blue Cross
Independence Blue Cross is the leading health insurer in southeastern Pennsylvania. With our affiliates, we serve more than 8.2 million people in 24 states and the District of Columbia. For more than 75 years, we have been enhancing the health and wellness of the people and communities we serve by delivering innovative and competitively priced health care products and services; pioneering new ways to reward doctors, hospitals, and other health care professionals for coordinated, quality care; and supporting programs and events that promote wellness. To learn more about how we’re changing the game, visit www.ibx.com. Connect with us on Facebook at ibx.com/facebook and on Twitter at @ibx. Independence Blue Cross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
Media contact
Karen Godlewski
215-779-9682
karen.godlewski@ibx.com