PHILIPSBURG – Social & Health Insurances SZV recently visited the St. Martin’s Home to motivate and share information with the participants of the More Movement for the Elderly program, launched by Department of Collective Prevention Services (CPS) last month.
The program offers free exercise sessions three times per month for seniors 60+ at various locations. When SZV staff visited, participants were just rounding off their work-out session and were very surprised to have received the visit, and happy to chat and exchange with the staff. All were positive about the program and opportunity to take part and include the lessons in their daily routine. SZV presented participants with reusable water bottles and other memorabilia including an insurance cardholder and contact card.
SZV and FitFoods collaborated to supply participants with a healthy lunch salad and guilt-free snacks. FitFoods representative Catalina Ahlip also gave brief nutritional information on the meals. The next More Movement for the Elderly session this month is scheduled for Friday, October 28, at I&I Fitness in Cole Bay from 3:00pm-3:45 pm. SZV encourages the seniors who are able, to attend and make use of this great opportunity to stay in shape.
The More Movement for the Elderly program is one of the many ways that SZV has been playing a role in bringing awareness to preventive health care for the elderly target group. On the social side, SZV has committed itself to hear the concerns of the elderly about its services, directly, but also via channels of representation such as the St. Maarten Seniors and Pensioner’s Association.
In September, SZV initiated a “mixed-group” session where various governmental stakeholders, SZV and representatives of the SMSPA meet every 6-8 weeks to engage in solution-driven conversations of where a collaborative approach is required. This is important as the role of SZV is limited, being an executing agency, but through collaborative efforts with key stakeholders, many issues could translate into actions towards improvement.
