Exercise for Frail Elders

Elizabeth (Betsy) Best-Martini, MS, is a certified recreation therapist specializing in the field of gerontology and long-term care. She received her master's degree in recreation therapy and is a consultant to various retirement communities, skilled nursing settings, subacute settings, and residential and assisted care facilities in northern California. In addition to running her consulting firm, she lectures and provides training across the United States and in Canada.

Betsy is also an instructor at College of Marin and Santa Rosa Junior College, where she trains people to work with elderly clients as activity coordinators. In addition, she teaches two living history classes for older adults and a strength training class for frail elderly clients. Betsy is a certified long-term care fitness instructor through the American Senior Fitness Association and a qualified strength trainer through the YMCA.

Betsy writes a column titled Let's Get Moving in Creative Forecasting, a national newsletter for activity professionals and recreation therapists. This column focuses on fitness programs for older adults. She has been recognized with the 1998 Distinguished Merit Award from NCCAC (Northern California Council of Activity Coordinators) and the Pete Croughan Award for her volunteer efforts with a nonprofit organization called LITA (Love Is The Answer).

In her leisure time, Betsy can be found gardening, hiking, exercising, and spending time with her husband and family.

Kim A. Botenhagen-Di Genova, MA, received her master's degree in physical education and the Distinguished Achievement in a Major Field Award from San Francisco State University. She is certified by the American College of Sports Medicine as a health and fitness instructor; by the American Senior Fitness Association as a long-term care fitness leader, senior fitness leader, and senior personal trainer; and by the YMCA as a strength training instructor trainer. She is also a certified emergency medical technician and nutrition assistant.

Kim was the first exercise physiologist at the Davies Medical Center Health Check Department in San Francisco, where she worked for seven years. She now teaches Strength and Fitness Training for Older Adults and Senior Strength and Fitness Training Instructor Certification Course at the College of Marin. She is the vice president of the Marin Association for Senior Strength Trainers and a consultant and workshop leader on fitness for older adults.

Kim lives in Novato, California. Her passions are swimming in San Francisco Bay and hiking. She has swum from the Golden Gate Bridge to the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and has successfully escaped from Alcatraz many times.