Senior Services’ EnhanceFitness program recognized two Seattle area EnhanceFitness instructors at the annual EnhanceFitness Washington State Instructor’s Workshop held June 2 at Tukwila Community Center. Kenmore Resident Bob Bell received the first-ever Community Builder Award and Stacy Burnham was named 2015 Washington EnhanceFitness Instructor of the Year.

“Our EnhanceFitness program has served more than 50,000 older adults across 31 states and has been proven to increase physical function, decrease depression, and improve social interaction while decreasing healthcare costs and unplanned hospitalizations,” said Senior Services CEO Paula L. Houston. “We are proud of our strong network of EnhanceFitness instructors; they make a profound difference in the lives of seniors by helping them combat the effects of age-specific health challenges by teaching the EnhanceFitness program in communities across the nation.”

According to Senior Services, Bob Bell demonstrates the qualities of the Community Builder Award by creating a deep sense of community, which keeps participants coming to EnhanceFitness class. The results are clearly stated by one of them, saying “…participants indicate they have more energy and flexibility…Many have gone through heart, hip, and knee surgeries with higher and sustainable recovery rates than other seniors who do not perform regular physical activity. …our doctors are impressed with our program and recognize the better quality of life we are leading as a result of it.”

Bell began his journey with EnhanceFitness as a class participant and after seeing life changing health gains, trained to teach the program to other senior adults at the Kenmore Senior Program, part of the Northshore Senior Center. Participants cited Bob’s sense of humor and enthusiasm repeatedly as the spark for the social interaction in this EnhanceFitness class that spills over into coffee chats, potlucks and monthly birthday celebrations.