SilverSneakers & Fitness Discounts for Seniors: What You Need to Know

Published: Thursday, August 17, 2026.

If you’re 65 or older and have Medicare, there’s a good chance you’re already paying for gym access, you just might not know it yet.

Fitness benefits for seniors are one of the most consistently underused perks in Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans. Programs like SilverSneakers, Renew Active, One Pass, and others are included in millions of health insurance plans at no additional cost. They cover gym memberships, fitness classes, and access to recreation facilities, but many eligible seniors never claim them simply because they didn’t know they qualified.

This guide breaks down what these programs are, how to find out if your plan includes them, and exactly how to use them at the Trails Recreation Center in Centennial, Colorado.

What Are Senior Fitness Benefit Programs?

Senior fitness benefit programs are partnerships between health insurance providers and fitness facilities. Your Medicare or Medicare Advantage plan pays for your membership and you show up and work out at no out-of-pocket cost.

These programs exist because the evidence for exercise as preventive medicine is overwhelming. Insurance providers have learned that paying for gym access is significantly cheaper than paying for the hospitalizations, specialist visits, and chronic disease management costs that result from sedentary aging. In other words, your insurer benefits when you stay active which is why they’re willing to cover the cost.

Here’s a look at the most common programs and what they cover:

SilverSneakers®

SilverSneakers® is the most widely recognized senior fitness benefit program in the United States, available through many Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement plans. It provides access to participating fitness facilities (including the Trails Recreation Center)at no additional cost to eligible members.

SilverSneakers® isn’t just about gym floor access. It also includes a variety of fitness classes designed specifically for older adults, including SilverSneakers® Classic, SilverSneakers® Cardio, SilverSneakers® Circuit, and SilverSneakers® Yoga (all available at TPRD).

To find out if your plan includes SilverSneakers®, visit the SilverSneakers® website or call the member services number on your insurance card.

Renew Active® (UnitedHealthcare)

Renew Active® is UnitedHealthcare’s fitness benefit program, included in many UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans. Like SilverSneakers®, it provides access to participating fitness facilities at no additional cost to eligible members.

Renew Active® also includes a digital fitness component with online workouts and brain health exercises, a broader wellness package alongside the physical access benefit.

One Pass (Formerly Tivity Health)

One Pass is a fitness network benefit included in certain Medicare Advantage plans. Eligible members can access participating recreation centers and fitness facilities as part of their health plan.

Active & Fit Direct

Active & Fit Direct is a fitness program available through certain Medicare and commercial health plans that provides access to a network of participating fitness centers for a low monthly fee, typically $28 per month plus a one-time enrollment fee. It’s not always free, but it is significantly less expensive than a standard membership for eligible participants.

Silver & Fit® and Fit On Health

Silver & Fit® and Fit On Health are additional senior fitness benefit programs accepted at the Trails Recreation Center. Eligibility and coverage vary by plan, check with your insurance provider to confirm whether your plan includes either of these benefits.

Does My Insurance Include a Fitness Benefit?

This is the most common question and the answer is easier to find than most people expect. Here’s how to check:

Option 1: Call the member services number on your insurance card. Ask specifically whether your plan includes SilverSneakers®, Renew Active®, One Pass, Active & Fit, Silver & Fit®, or Fit On Health. If the representative isn’t sure, ask to be transferred to the benefits department.

Option 2: Check your insurance carrier’s website. Most major Medicare Advantage carriers list fitness benefits in their plan summary documents, which are available online under “plan benefits” or “extra benefits.”

Option 3: Visit the program websites directly. SilverSneakers®, Renew Active®, and One Pass all have eligibility checkers on their websites where you can enter your insurance information to confirm coverage.

How to Enroll at the Trails Recreation Center

Once you’ve confirmed eligibility with your insurance provider, the enrollment process at TPRD is straightforward:

Contact your insurance provider and confirm your eligibility. Ask for your registration or member ID number for the specific program (SilverSneakers®, Renew Active®, etc.).
Download and complete the enrollment form for your program. TPRD provides enrollment forms for all accepted programs on the Active Aging Resources page at tprd.org, or you can pick up a printed copy at the front desk.
Submit your completed form at the front desk. The fitness team will review your application and you’ll receive an email confirmation once you’re enrolled.

That’s it. Once enrolled, you can access the facility and participate in eligible classes as part of your benefit with no out-of-pocket membership cost.

For step-by-step enrollment guidance, TPRD also has a dedicated how-to blog at tprd.org/how-to-sign-up-for-silversneakers-or-renew-active/ that walks through the process in detail.

What's Included With Your Senior Fitness Benefit at TPRD

Access to the Trails Recreation Center through a senior fitness benefit program opens up a genuinely robust lineup of facilities and programs — far more than most people expect when they think “gym membership.”

Facility Access

Your benefit includes access to the full Trails Recreation Center facility, which includes:

Indoor pool with waterslides, a lazy river, zero-depth entry, and aqua fitness class access
Lap pool
Fitness equipment and cardio floor
Indoor gymnasium
Racquetball courts
Running track

SilverSneakers Fitness Classes

TPRD offers a full suite of SilverSneakers-branded group fitness classes designed specifically for older adults:

SilverSneakers Classic — A music-based class using hand weights, resistance tubing, a ball, and chair support to improve muscular strength, flexibility, and range of motion for everyday activities. Intensity level: Beginner.
SilverSneakers Cardio — A low-impact aerobic workout designed to elevate heart rate and improve cardiovascular health, plus core and strength work, stretching, and relaxation. Intensity level: Intermediate.
SilverSneakers Circuit — A standing circuit class combining upper-body strength training with light equipment and non-impact cardio choreography, supported by chair-based stretching and relaxation. Intensity level: Moderate.
SilverSneakers Yoga — A full-body yoga class using seated and standing poses with chair support to improve flexibility, balance, and mobility, paired with breathing exercises and relaxation for stress reduction. Intensity level: All levels.

Active Aging Fitness Classes

Beyond the SilverSneakers-branded classes, TPRD’s drop-in fitness lineup includes a wide range of classes open to older adults:

Forever Fit — A total body workout using various pieces of equipment, modified to fit various fitness levels. Designed to challenge the active older adult. Intensity: Beginner/Intermediate.
Fit at 60+ — An intermediate total body conditioning class for very active adults 60 and over, using dumbbells, bands, steps, stability balls, and BOSUs with an emphasis on functional training and core stability.
Power Hour — An interval-style class for active adults 60+ combining low-impact aerobics, strength training, balance, and stability-improving movements.
Aqua Aerobics — A low-impact, high-energy workout using water resistance and light weights to build strength and cardio endurance. Gentle on joints, challenging for muscles.
Aqua Tabata — A fast-paced interval training class in the pool that alternates short bursts of intense effort with recovery periods, using water resistance to deliver maximum results.
Deep Aqua Aerobics — A full-body aqua class using flotation belts, water resistance, and optional equipment in the deep end of the pool. Low impact, effective cardiovascular and strength training.
Mobility Flow — A 30-minute class set to calming music that uses dynamic movement patterns and joint mobility exercises to improve range of motion and flexibility throughout the body.
Stretch / Stretched & Balanced — Active stretching classes designed to improve flexibility, mobility, and body alignment by lengthening tight muscles and promoting better movement patterns.
Yoga / Hatha Yoga / Vinyasa Yoga — Multiple yoga options across different styles and intensity levels, welcoming all levels with options to modify or intensify.
Fusion — A full-body workout blending yoga, Pilates, barre, and more, focusing on alignment, breath control, fluid movement, flexibility, balance, and core strength.
Well Balanced (Specialty Class) — A comprehensive three-class program including assessment, education, and targeted exercises to help seniors reduce their risk of falls.

Additional Active Aging Programs

Line Dancing — Beginner and improver line dance classes offering rhythm, social connection, cardiovascular activity, and plenty of fun. Open to all levels.
Adult Dance Classes — Ballet, belly dancing, contemporary dance, and more — creative movement classes open to older adults in a welcoming, no-pressure environment.
Adult Visual Arts — Pottery, sculpting, painting, and more — creative arts classes that support cognitive health, social connection, and personal fulfillment.
Adult Photography — Digital photography classes for adults interested in developing their eye and their camera skills.
Travel Opportunities — TPRD partners with Collette Travel to offer group travel experiences for adults, including upcoming trips to Greece, Northern Italy, and Great Britain and Ireland.
Morning Water Walking — The Trails Recreation Center reserves the pool during morning hours for adult exercise. Water walking in the lazy river is available during these times, keeping to the right side of the river, passing on the left, and walking against the current only when the river is not busy. Check tprd.org for current pool schedule hours.

Why Exercise Matters Even More After 60

The case for staying active in older adulthood isn’t just about fitness. It’s about independence, cognitive health, fall prevention, social connection, and overall quality of life.

The research is unambiguous: older adults who exercise regularly live longer, maintain independence longer, have lower rates of chronic disease, experience less depression and anxiety, demonstrate better cognitive function, and report significantly higher quality of life than sedentary peers. The benefits compound over time each year of consistent activity builds a foundation that makes the next year healthier.

And the barriers that many older adults cite joint pain, low energy, uncertainty about what’s safe are precisely what well-designed senior fitness programs address. The classes at TPRD are built for bodies at every fitness level, led by instructors who understand how to support older adults safely and effectively, in a facility designed to be welcoming rather than intimidating.

If cost has been a barrier, it may no longer need to be. Your insurance plan may have already removed it.

Check Your Eligibility Today

Check Your Eligibility Today

TPRD accepts the following senior fitness benefit programs:

SilverSneakers®
Renew Active® (UnitedHealthcare)
One Pass
Active & Fit Direct
Silver & Fit®
Fit On Health

Enrollment forms for all programs are available at tprd.org/programs/fitness/senior-fitness-resources/ or at the Trails Recreation Center front desk.

For enrollment questions, contact the TPRD Fitness & Wellness team:

Gina Thompson | Fitness & Wellness Supervisor [email protected] | (303) 269-8409

Andrea Robinson | Fitness Program Coordinator [email protected] | (303) 269-8416

Or stop by the Trails Recreation Center at 16799 E. Lake Avenue, Centennial, CO 80016.

Your health plan may already be covering this. The only step left is yours.