About ElderFIT

The idea for ElderFIT came to Dave Manzer after his father fell in front of his home in the pre-dawn. Unable to get up, his father was forced to remain on the ground for over an hour until a neighbor spotted him and helped him back up. Fortunately, no injuries were involved so his father went on his way.

After the fall, Dave lobbied his father to start working out. A long-time fan of strength training and mountain biking, Dave personally knew the benefits that working out brings to both the body and mind.

Despite his father’s objections that he was too old to exercise, he started working out with a local physical therapist. In as little as a couple months of weight training and cardio exercises, his father's strength, balance and endurance measurably improved. So had his father’s faith in fitness training. In fact, he worked out religiously three days a week for the remainder of his life and truly enjoyed the relationships he developed with his trainers.

Seeing how much exercise improved his father’s physical and mental well-being, Dave and his co-founders wanted to see if other seniors experienced similar declines in strength and mobility. A majority surveyed reported feeling less sure on their feet, sometimes experiencing falls resulting in injuries. More had seen a loss of strength to do many of the daily activities they used to enjoy.

The team also found that seniors strongly preferred the option of working out at home or in a community gym rather than a big box gym filled with younger members. Finally, many seniors said that their children take an active interest in their long-term health and fitness. In other words, just like Dave pushed his father to work out, so do many other kids lobby to get their parents exercising.

Helping seniors get stronger, stay more active, and remain independent for as long as possible is our mission. It’s why we created ElderFIT, the first fitness marketplace developed exclusively for aging Americans. Now seniors – and their families – can easily find and book sessions for in-home sessions with local personal trainers.

We hope you enjoy your fitness journey!

Dave Manzer, Janis Gonser & Christian Orawetz
ElderFIT Co-Founders