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Geriatric-Elderly-Fitness

What does the word “geriatric” mean to you?

/11 June 2024/ All MFN blog/

geriatrics\ ˌjer-​ē-​ˈa-​triks  , ˌjir-​\ : a branch of medicine that deals with the problems and diseases of old age and the medical care and treatment of aging people.

What does the word geriatric mean to you? Oftentimes, it comes with a negative connotation. It’s time to change the perception of this word in the fitness industry.

In the medical fitness space, we seek to align with doctors and health professionals.

Geriatric medicine physicians (Geriatricians) work to promote health by preventing and treating diseases and disabilities. To a great degree, this includes improving functional abilities and independence in their activities of daily living. With the rapid growth of the older population in the US, the demand for geriatric medicine is higher than ever.

Physicians specializing in geriatric medicine work closely with interdisciplinary teams, including physical therapists and fitness professionals, to implement care plans that will improve quality of life. This is where a properly educated fitness professional can enter, collaborate with doctors and make a huge impact in the lives of this population.

Senior Fitness vs. Geriatric Fitness

Senior fitness is popular in the fitness industry and many organizations offer education for working with seniors — but it’s primarily focused on seniors who are “generally healthy”.  Senior fitness is centered on preventative measures to maintain existing health as a person ages.

But not all seniors fall into this category. In fact, most do not. Geriatric fitness is for those who are not healthy,  who need guidance with fitness and lifestyle changes to improve degraded function so they can perform activities of daily living and be independent.

Why Specialize?

Specializing in geriatric fitness allows you to reach a huge market (there are over 70 million baby boomers with 10,000 people reaching age 65 daily!), but you’ll also find it to be a fulfilling part of your career. You’ll find creating programming for this group intellectually stimulating and challenging. You’ll also find it emotionally rewarding — helping geriatric clients make small improvements in their health will have an enormous impact on their quality of life, independence and well-being.

You’ll also offer peace of mind to caregivers — often adult children — as they are frequently the ones seeking an educated fitness professional to help their aging parent.

It’s time to see the word geriatric in a new, positive light. A personal trainer specializing in geriatric fitness is helping a senior maintain independence, prevent life-threatening falls and manage chronic health conditions to live their highest quality of life through their golden years.

Become a Geriatric Fitness and Lifestyle Specialist

Align yourself with the medical community and become a Geriatric Fitness and Lifestyle Specialist! Check out MedFit Classroom’s first of its kind online course for fitness professionals.


References

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September 18-22 is Falls Prevention Awareness Week!

/13 September 2023/ All MFN blog/

One in four Americans over age 65 falls every year. Falls are the leading cause of both fatal and non-fatal injuries for seniors. Through practical lifestyle adjustments, evidence-based programs, and community partnerships, the number of falls among the aging population can be reduced!

September 18-22 is the National Council on Aging’s Falls Prevention Awareness Week. Visit the NCOA website for more Falls Prevention Toolkit, filled with resources for both the public and fitness professionals!

Video: 6 Steps to Prevent a Fall

Video courtesy of National Council on Aging.

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Are You Ready to Swim in the “Blue Ocean”?

/3 February 2021/ All MFN blog/

You and your business are probably spending too much time competing in the “red ocean”.

You need to get out of the red ocean and head to safer waters.

I know what you are thinking… What is a red ocean vs. a blue ocean?

This concept comes from the book, Blue Ocean Strategy, and it is important to understand for career growth.

“Red oceans represent all the industries in existence today. This is the known market space.”

This is the market for generally healthy, “fit” clients.

“As the market space gets crowded, prospects for profits and growth are reduced. Products become commodities, and cutthroat competition turns the red ocean bloody.”

Sound familiar in your journey to find clients?

“Blue oceans, in contrast, are defined by untapped market space, demand creation, and the opportunity for highly profitable growth.”

“In blue oceans, competition is irrelevant because the rules of the game are waiting to be set.”

So what does this mean for you?

The red ocean in health and fitness is going after the 15% of the population who is generally healthy and looking for fitness solutions to get fit or lose some weight.

This 15% of the population is looking for great glutes and great abs and benefit from any basic fitness program…

…AND EVERY SINGLE FITNESS BUSINESS IS MARKETING TO THEM.

Hence, it’s the red ocean.

So, What’s the Blue Ocean?

The blue ocean, on the other hand, consists of the millions of people with existing conditions like arthritis, Parkinson’s, or Multiple Sclerosis, for whom the great glutes and abs programs aren’t appropriate

This group is not currently being bombarded with marketing messages about fitness.

These people are in need of fitness services delivered by a specialized professional (which you can become) who understands their condition AND knows how to make programs specific to their needs.

It’s time to start swimming in the blue ocean and get away the “cutthroat competition that turns the red ocean bloody.”

Learn more about the “blue ocean” by watching this free presentation from MedFit Classroom, The New Blue Ocean: Capitalizing on the Opportune Space Between Fitness and Medicine.  Industry veteran Phil Kaplan discusses this important topic and how you’ll benefit from targeting this untapped market.