Question
Do you use special lifts or equipment in the pool to help disabled clients?
Answer
It is important to use special equipment when assisting someone with disabilities in a pool. If they have limited motor control, whether flaccid or spastic, I will often use something as simple as a Styrofoam noodle underneath their waist and put them in supine. There are also floats in which to cradle their heads. They also have arm and leg rings to help keep their extremities afloat.
With smaller children, I often use foam blocks attached to their backs. These are sometimes referred to as "backpacks". These help them to float while in a prone position.
As far as lifts, all public pools recently have had to ensure that their pools are ADA accessible. Any public pool has to have some sort of lift to get clients into the water. It can be just a simple hydraulic chair lift.
Depending on whether they have been in the water before and their level of motor control and cognition, I may have them sit at the edge of the pool with their feet in the water and teach them how to rotate and lower themselves into the pool.
I also keep my lifeguard certification up to date for safety. For more information on pool safety and certification, go to the Aquatic Therapy and Rehab Institute website, www.atri.org.
