Our story begins when Anthony was about 7 years old, it was suggested by therapists that he swim as often as possible to increase the use of his muscles. He started to go to the Rehab Center in Grand Forks, North Dakota.
He swam in the therapeutic pool once a week. We started to take him to the city pools during the summer, but not everyone was happy with me taking him into the girls changing area, so I could change him from a wet suit
to dry clothes. The same was true of the boys changing area. The trouble was that there was no family changing area that we could use. Therefore, we started thinking about a pool at home. We put in a pool with a
heater to warm the water, that way Anthony’s muscles wouldn’t tighten in the warm water. We have been using it ever since. We have added a lift, since Anthony is to big for us to get him in the pool by ourselves.
It has helped Anthony’s muscles from becoming so tight. Anthony has used the pool everyday that it is nice outside during the summer. It is a very relaxing and soothing activity. What was also nice about it that he could have friends over to swim, most having no disabilities. It became a social activity that included his friends.
Here is the information I talked to you about earlier, Altru closed the therapeutic pool October 1 st of 2018. It is in the building known as the Rehab Center. They have told their clients to go to the Y for swimming. The trouble is that the Y pool is used by lap swimmers and they like the water to be cooler. For the people who used the therapeutic pool that is to cool for them. At Choice Fitness there is a pool, but it is pool that has zero entrance into it. So, people who can’t walk in it are limited. They have a walking river, but I think the temperature of the water is factor. If I am remembering it correctly, there is a pool that is part of the zero-entrance level, but no lift to get into the pool, plus not much room to put in a lift.