Catriona Sudlow

Dementia Friendly Swimming Project

Amateur Swimming Association

Perceptions of Swimming

Challenging perceptions and having an impact

• Value of swimming• Improved insight into motivations, barriers and

perceptions

• Building partnerships between leisure, health and social care sectors• Promoting a culture change

• Creating a network of dementia friendly pools• Enhancing the swimming experience for people affected

by dementia

• Social awareness

Independence Feeling free in water & able to do movements

impossible on land

Social connection Belonging to a

community of fellow swimmers

Once in the water, swimming delivers much deeper rewards

Our audience experience an EQUALITY IN THE WATERthat they can miss taking part in other activities & in life in

general

EmpowermentA time to just feel like

yourself, not your impairment

Relaxation & enjoyment –including relieving pain

On the surface, swimming is recognised to offer relevant benefits:

Less risky fitness activity (low impact) - reinforced by health

care professionals

Collaborative approach

• Promoted a culture change• New work area – increased awareness and appetite to

deliver more specific activities

• Catalyst to building new partnerships between previously non-traditional partners• Health, social care, leisure, housing, transport….

• Raised profile of dementia and role swimming and physical activity can play

• Customer led• Its exploratory and evolutionary rather than

prescribed

Spirit of Manchester Partnership video

3 spokes of DF Swimming

Increasing dementia awareness

• First step – training to increase dementia awareness across leisure providers

• Understanding Dementia in the Leisure Environment• 442 front house leisure staff across 8 areas trained

• Contributing towards Prime Minister Challenge• 166 Dementia Friends created

Accessible, safe and supported provision• Traditional vs non-traditional

• Customer led• Market research with services supporting people living with

dementia• Feedback from participants

• Barriers and motivations• Transport• Availability of support to attend• Water and swimming confidence - perception

• Working to combat barriers to participation• Transport partnerships• Non traditional pool activity sessions

Creating a Dementia Friendly Environment• Innovation – Small changes = big impact

• Common issues• Navigation – signage

• Noise

• Unhelpful lighting – glare on pools and wet surfaces

• Fear of slipping

• Number of accessible changing areas

• Poor use of colour and contrast

• Lack of personalisation

Personal stories

Eachstep Dementia Care Home

Been attending regularly since July 2016

Liz, Assistant Service Manager ‘I have thoroughly enjoyed supporting the ladies and gents at Eachstep to take part in the sessions. It can sometimes be difficult for the people we support to engage with physical activities. However, they have taken to it like ducks to water – no pun intended.’

Feedback and Comments‘Swimming was a new outlet for my

illnesses. I sometimes got fed up with life but my new interests got me out of the

doldrums. My self worth has improved and my confidence has improved. It’s just a

simple swim but it has changed my life. So give it a go – it’s great fun! Thank you and

go for it!

‘I enjoy going. You meet new

people.’

‘I’ve seen an improvement in my general health and

control of other health issues.’

‘Swimming is a very positive activity from my perspective. I see the improvement in mood and mobility it provides to my

supported men.’

‘The experience was very rewarding even if it took quite a long time to get in the pool. The staff at the centre were friendly

and always there to help without asking.’

Where?

And many more…….