Funding will support programs in Berrien, Chippewa, Ingham, Kent, Lenawee and Wayne counties

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network are giving "Healthy Aging" grants to support programs that promote increasing physical activity and improving nutrition for seniors in Michigan.

The six programs to receive Healthy Aging grants of $5,000 each are:

* In Chippewa County, Bay Mills Community College's partnership with Bay Mills Indian Community Health Promotion Dept. will use the funding to increase mobility and daily activities for program participants.

* The City of Wyoming Senior Citizens Center's Moderate and Low-Impact Exercise Clubs in Kent County will use funds from the grant to monitor fitness levels, purchase fitness equipment and provide personal training for program participants at the center, which serves an average of 185 seniors per day.

* East Lansing Seniors "Prime Time" program for elder residents of Ingham County will target at-risk clients, using the grant to motivate participation through low-impact line dancing, water aerobics and tai chi classes, as well as workshops on healthy cooking, fall prevention and stress management.

* Serving both Kent and Lenawee counties, Gerontology Network's Nutrition and Exercise Program in Grand Rapids will use the grant money for tai chi- inspired workout programs and healthy eating education provided by certified physical therapists and dieticians.

* Region IV Area Agency on Aging's partnership with Women's Community Association in St. Joseph will use its grant money to serve more than 50 Berrien County seniors, with a program that includes water aerobics and a variety of educational sessions on healthy lifestyles.

* In Detroit, St. Patrick Senior Center's "2005: A Healthier You" program serves an average of 225 Detroit senior citizens daily. The center will use the funds to buy a new treadmill and pedometers and to hire a personal trainer to serve program participants.

This is the second year for the Michigan Blues' Healthy Aging grants program. Last year, 10 senior organizations received grants. The grants have created programs that bring nutritional education and physical fitness opportunities to older Michigan residents in communities throughout Michigan. The Healthy Aging grants program is part of a broader Michigan Blues mission to help promote physical activity among state residents, especially children and seniors. Physical inactivity costs Michigan an estimated $9 billion each year according to a 2004 state report.

"The results of insufficient physical activity in an aging population include widespread osteoporosis -- the main cause of fractured bones for older adults -- and increased risk of coronary heart disease, hypertension and some forms of cancer," said David Share, M.D., MPH, clinical director of the Center for Health Care Quality and Evaluative Studies at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. "By adopting a healthier, more active lifestyle, seniors may be able to prevent or reduce the impact of various chronic conditions that result from sedentary behavior and poor nutrition."

According to the National Institute on Aging, as people age, they lose their ability to do things on their own because they have become inactive -- not just because they have aged. Older inactive adults lose ground in four areas that are important for staying healthy and independent: endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility. The NIA also reports that very small changes in physical activity can have a big impact on older people.

Diet quality is also critical for older Americans, according to the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. Some aspects of aging may prevent older Americans from getting the nutrition they need. For example, economic and transportation limitations may limit an older person's food choices. Prescription medication can affect appetite or the taste of foods, and some seniors suffer from altered mental status, which can adversely affect nutrition choices.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, a nonprofit corporation, provides or administers health care benefits to just over 4.7 million members through a variety of plans: Traditional Blue Cross Blue Shield; Blue Preferred, Community Blue and Healthy Blue PPOs; Blue Choice Point of Service; Blue Care Network HMO, and Blue HSA(SM) plans compatible with health savings accounts. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network are nonprofit corporations and independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. For more information, visit http://www.bcbsm.com/ .

Source: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

CONTACT: Cheryl McDonald of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan,
+1-313-225-8121, mediarelations@bcbsm.com

Web site: http://www.bcbsm.com/