Swimming can be a liberating activity and a source of good exercise. Individuals with handicaps often enjoy swimming for the same reasons able-bodied people do. Swimming also can be very advantageous to people who don't have full use of their bodies or certain parts of their bodies. In these cases, swimming can help reduce the degree of the handicap and allow these individuals to enjoy a normal activity.
Handicapped Pool Access
Handicapped individuals need special equipment to access a pool safely. Specialized stair systems can be installed at the side of a pool to let swimmers cautiously and slowly enter the water. Pool lifts are designed to move wheelchair-bound individuals in and out of the water without the strain of moving the body from the seat into the pool. This equipment can be installed poolside and pulled out when not in use, but it should be made available to handicapped people.
Flotation Devices
Floatable accessories that can be worn by the swimmer are of valuable use to some handicapped individuals. These can include life jackets for considerably handicapped people or simply consist of floaties for the arm or around the waist. These can provide stability to the swimmer while also reducing the risk of dangerous fatigue in the water. The use of floaties can also make a swimmer more comfortable in the water and result in a better experience.
Sensory Equipment
Depending on the type of handicapped individuals you will have swimming in a pool, different sensory equipment can be used to keep the swimmer informed while in the water. Speaker systems or megaphones should be accessible for blind individuals so that the poolside lifeguards can easily communicate with the swimmers. Sprinklers can also ring the pool's walls and alert blind swimmers of when they are approaching the concrete wall. Brightly colored lanes and flashing lights underwater can be used to gain the attention of deaf individuals. Research the needs of a handicapped group to make sure they will be taken care of when swimming.
Able-Bodied Partner
One of the ways municipal pools are able to sponsor handicapped swim days is through the volunteer efforts of able-bodied individuals who are willing to spend time swimming with disabled people. This is an important safety measure, but it can also improve the experience of the handicapped person by making the water a safer place, providing assistance at various points while in the water and giving the disabled person a partner with whom to share the fun.
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