Fitness. Community. Connection.
These are some of the ideas at the heart of Greenville fitness instructor Jennifer Perras’ approach to leading the SilverSneakers program at the Salvation Army Kroc Community Center.
They are also among the reasons cited for her being named one of five top finalists earlier this summer in the SilverSneakers Instructor of the Year award out of thousands of candidates nationwide.
Perras took over the role as SilverSneakers instructor two years ago when a back injury sidelined the previous instructor.
“Right from that very first class this was magic,” Perras says. “It was like the perfect relationship for me from the beginning.”
SilverSneakers is the nation’s leading fitness program for seniors. Perras says she enjoys watching new members go from being uncertain whether they want to participate to being enthusiastic about new friendships and being more physically active.
She adds that with ages ranging from 55 to 90, the people in her classes inspire her as much as she inspires them.
“I just love being with these people every day,” she says. “I love seeing them accomplish something … I love watching people feel better about themselves.”
Since taking over as the lead instructor she has worked hard to not only tailor fitness instruction to individual needs but to create a sense of community and connection. With the onset of COVID shutdowns, devising ways to maintain those connections was at the top of her mind.
She quickly took the sessions online and worked through the technical problems and learning curves of adapting to a new way of interacting.
“Throughout COVID we really saw how important the social connection is to the program,” Perras says.
Tivity Health President and CEO Richard Ashworth says Perras’ diligence in maintaining social connections was among the reasons she was chosen as a finalist from thousands of instructors nationwide. Tivity Health is the parent company of the SilverSneakers program.
“Not only has she kept hundreds of seniors active and healthy throughout the pandemic, she has helped to create connections and community during a time of great uncertainty and when so many struggled with isolation and loneliness,” Ashworth says. “Her enthusiasm, positivity, and kindness shine through in all she does, making her a stand-out role model.”
Perras says one of the things she strived for during her Facebook Live sessions was developing ways to stimulate discussion and interactions among members. She did this through trivia questions and surveys through the comments section and feedback proved how effective the efforts were.
Reflecting on what it means to be a finalist for the instructor of the year award, she credits the people she works with as much or more as any effort on her part.
“This is a team effort,” she says. “We all made this happen.”
For more information about the SilverSneakers program, visit silversneakers.com. For information about specific programs at the Kroc Community Center, visit krocgreenville.org.
