Adaptive aquatics or just aquatics - Aquatics - disabled persons and aquatics

Parks & Recreation, Feb, 2002 by Julian U. Stein

A vital link in meeting the needs of individuals with disabilities in the aquatics area is to prepare regular aquatic personnel at all levels to work and deal with individuals with disabilities in regular programs and activities, including swimming, diving, small craft, skin and SCUBA diving, sailing, and competition.

When regular aquatic personnel realize that these programs and involvements are desired by those with disabilities -- not as therapy or rehabilitation -- and that the programs can be accomplished with minimal modifications and common sense accommodations, they can assimilate and integrate individuals with disabilities into their programs and activities. To accomplish this requires every aquatic course to infuse, in all units of instruction, implications and applications for participants with disabilities. Special courses and programs, such as adapted aquatics, can also be designed for those with severe, profound, and multiple conditions

Training courses, workshops, clinics, seminars, summits, and certification must be reviewed, evaluated, and changed. No longer can approaches appropriate for the past be accepted and tolerated for the present and future. Changes are necessary.

Whether generalists or specialists, instructors must be highly committed and dedicated to fulfilling their moral and ethical responsibilities, and in meeting challenges of aquatic activities which include participants with disabilities. Instructors must possess empathy (not sympathy) for individuals with disabilities, and be strong advocates for equality of opportunities through aquatics. Teamwork through communication, cooperation and coordination with other individuals and agencies is a must for success.

Moving to the Next Level

From rehabilitation to independent community function is an integrated continuum to provide aquatic activities for individuals with disabilities. To get there I suggest:

* decrease traditional therapies, with increasing use of typical aquatic activities;

* decrease participation at clinic, hospital, or rehabilitation centers, with increasing participation in community agencies and facilities;

* promote cooperation, networking and transition from one program to another;

* decrease staff roles in decision making, with increasing self-determination by program participants; and

* de-emphasize the traditional medical model, while increasing emphasis on functional approaches focusing on ways in which an individual's condition affects ability to learn and perform aquatic skills.

Independent Community Function in Aquatic Recreation and Leisure

Active participation in aquatic activities is governed by personal interests and self-determination as individuals take part with friends, family, and peers in separate-to-integrated settings, and at all ability levels (i.e., beginner to elite). Program sponsors continue to be community agencies (i.e., adult education, YM/YWCAs, recreation departments, park boards, special interest groups, sport clubs, disabled sport organizations, swimming/aquatic national governing bodies, voluntary agencies, colleges/universities). The development of cooperative networks and partnerships among all agencies is extremely important at this stage of the continuum. Leisure education and leisure counseling continue.

The concept underlying the model (from rehabilitation to independent community function) can be applied between contiguous and within stages in the continuum. Keys to all applications of this model lie in understanding the concept of the continuum, making adaptations according to specifics of other situations and environments, implementing appropriately, working together, and keeping the participant, not the agency as dominant -- shout the cause; whisper the organization.

Five A's for Success

Five A's must always be kept foremost as aquatic programs and activities are planned and implement for participants with disabilities

(1) Total accessibility of all aquatic facilities.

(2) Appropriate accommodations in approaches and activities so individuals with disabilities can participate fully.

(3) Positive attitudes toward aquatic programs and activities by individuals with disabilities, including their rights and responsibilities, and by all providers of such services to include participants with disabilities in their programs and activities, including their responsibilities and rights.

(4) Strong advocacy for aquatic programs involving individuals with disabilities, and for self-advocacy by individuals with disabilities themselves.

(5) Relevant assimilation into regular aquatic programs and activities in the same environments with non-disabled friends, peers, and families.

From Rehab to Independence

                                               Stage 1

       Aquatic Activities                Aquatic Activities
       for Rehabilitation                  for Recreation

The patient may begin in a         Next the patient (in a hospi-
hospital, clinic, or rehabilita-   tal, clinic, or rehabilitation
tion center and be provided        center) increases participa-
aquatic activity through tra-      tion in typical aquatic activi-
ditional therapies (i.e., physi-   ties for all the same reasons
cal therapy, occupational          as others participate in such
therapy, therapeutic recre-        activities (i.e., fun, fitness,
ations) as integral parts of       social contact, skill develop-
formal rehabilitation ser-         ment, appropriate leisure
vices. The patient also par-       pursuits, exploration, building
ticipates in typical aquatic       positive self-concept),
activities to enhance physio-      Leisure education and leisure
logical, psychological, emo-       counseling continue to be
tional, and social aspects of      important as both rehabilita-
the rehabilitation process,        tion and aquatic staffs are
Leisure education and coun-        involved at this stage of the
seling are important parts of      continuum.
these processes.

             Stage 2                            Stage 3

       Aquatic Activities                 Aquatic Activities
         for Recreation                     for Recreation

While goals, objectives, and        Sites and staff, as in the pre-
activities are little if any dif-   vious stage, remain un-
ferent from the previous            changed but responsibility
stage, the site for participa-      shifts to the community
tion changes to community           agency aquatic staff. Pro-
programs and facilities (i.e.,      gram emphasis is upon refin-
YM/YWCAs, recreation                ing existing skills, developing
department, park boards, vol-       new skills, having opportuni-
untary agencies, sport clubs,       ties for additional instruction
colleges/universities). Initial-    in a variety of aquatic activi-
ly, staff personnel from the        ties, including at advanced
hospital, clinic, or rehabilita-    levels. An important goal at
tion center work together           this stage is increasing inde-
with the community agency           pendent function and self-
aquatic staff, which gradually      actualizing behaviors. Leisure
increases its roles and             education and leisure coun-
responsibilities of the clinic;     seling continue throughout
facility aquatic staff are grad-    this stage of the continuum.
ually phased out. Leisure
education and leisure coun-
seling are continued, espe-
cially as a means of expand-
ing and extending program
participant's knowledge of
new, different, and available
aquatic activities in the com-
munity.