The Long Run – November 2013

A Family Affair in North Carolina

Our final Personal Best event of 2013 brought NSGA to Greenville, North Carolina, and featured two National Senior Games athletes who are also mother and daughter.  The family theme carried beyond their story as we found a strong state organization, committed local partners and a nurturing and supportive atmosphere for and among athletes at their 20th annual state basketball championships held at East Carolina University.

Jackie and Fran Allison, center of photo, display their Personal Best  award and are congratulated by (left to right) ECU Assistant Chancellor for Campus Recreation and Wellness Nancy Mize, National Senior Games Association CEO Marc T. Riker, and North Carolina Senior Games Executive Director Brad Allen.  Read the Allisons’ combined profile and a tour blog of our visit on our Personal Best page at www.NSGA.com.

State News: Palo Alto Honors Anne Warner Cribbs with “Athena Award” 

One of our better known state figures has had her star polished. Anne Warner Cribbs, the board chair of the California Senior Games Association who headed the local organizing committee for the 2009 National Senior Games Presented by Humana, was inducted as the 27th recipient of the Athena Award by the Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce on November 6.

Cribbs, an Olympic Gold Medal swimmer and current CEO of the Bay Area Sports Organizing Committee, was honored for “excellence, creativity and initiative in her profession; contributing time and energy to improve the quality of life for others; and actively assisting women in realizing their full leadership potential.”

Congratulations Anne!  If your state has similar news to share, please submit it to news@NSGA.com for possible inclusion in future newsletters.

The official website for the 2015 National Senior Games Presented by Humana is now live. As in 2013, the pages will be conveniently hosted as part of NSGA.com.  The first pages contain a warm Minnesota welcome and links to find information about the host cities of Bloomington, Minneapolis and St. Paul. In the near future the competition schedule, sport rules, venues and other useful information will be added. Please bookmark the 2015 Welcome Pageand stay tuned for updates as we enter the 2014 qualifying year.

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On June 22nd, 2007, John Bates was having the time of his life, sharing a tennis court with his doubles partner and wife Janis Sullivan. They had traveled to Louisville, Kentucky from their home in east Tennessee to compete in the 2007 National Senior Games presented by Humana.

In one moment, he was practicing for competition starting the next day and contemplating how to win a game of tennis. In the next moment, John found himself in a game of survival, clutching his chest and collapsing to the court. Janis instantly came to his aid and found her husband was unconscious, not breathing and had no heartbeat. Time stood still.

Through a series of miraculous and heroic actions, John survived the ordeal. Five days later, he was released from the hospital with an implanted Automatic Internal Cardiac Defibrillator and a discharge diagnosis of “post sudden cardiac death.”

“There was local and national media coverage of the incident, but I never got to thank those who saved me,” he recalls. “I owe my life to my wife and her quick actions, but also to the emergency medical team that they had in place. All participants should thank the EMS personnel for their presence, professionalism and service at The Games. They were truly remarkable for me.”

John and Janis returned to play singles and doubles matches at the 2009 National Senior Games Presented by Humana in Palo Alto, California, where he posed for the above photo while on a beach excursion. They were beaten by the eventual mixed doubles Gold Medal winners. They played in Cleveland this year (“We won a couple of rounds”) and John’s new goal for 2015 is to qualify for the 5k and 10k road races and the triathlon. “This year I’ve done six half marathons and three triathlons so I feel good about it.”

Now 69, the former director of a wellness center and chairman of the Virginia Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports says his ultimate goal is to live to 100. “It’s like training for a marathon. There’s certain steps you have to follow to get there, and a healthy lifestyle is the Number One factor in that.”

John says giving thanks is a now a daily ritual. “Every morning I wake up and say ‘It’s a new record! This is the longest I’ve ever lived!’ And tomorrow will be another record.”

Check out the Athlete of the Month Page

Getting the Maximum Benefit From Your Medicare Advantage Plan

By Dr. Scott Latimer, Central Florida Market President, Humana

If you’re one of the 14 million Americans enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, you already know that your plan covers hospital stays, doctor visits and other major medical needs. But are you aware of the additional benefits and features that your plan offers?

Being familiar with your Medicare Advantage plan will not only help you maximize the value you are receiving in benefits, but, in many cases, it will also help you achieve better health and well-being.

There are five important ways you can take “advantage” of your Medicare Advantage plan to achieve optimum health and well-being.

Read the Full Article Here

NSGA thanks Humana for sharing this feature. For more information on a wide range of related topics, please visit Health and Well Being in the Learning Center at www.Humana.com.