“If a person’s physical abilities are limited to the point where they cannot get in and out of a pool without this type of device, they should not be using the pool. All this does is put them at great risk.”
NO. NO. and NO. It ain’t necessarily so. There was a time when I had membership at the Kroc Center in San Diego (an EXCELLENT facility btw, a rec. pool with 5 lanes or so - deepest part about 4 feet. The more ‘serious’ pool — 11 lanes, all deep water 9-12 feet or so. And a therapy pool-this last indoors. Therapy pool about chest high. MANY elderly people used it, along with those of us with aches/pains etc. They had 2 of the chairlifts — one for indoors and the other stationed outdoors at the ‘serious’ pool — it was made good use of by those who needed it. Handicapped people aren’t all the same! Not really easy to haul yourself in and out of pool if you’re missing a leg or an arm — but otherwise they swim quite well and manage — that’s HOW they manage to stay in shape - they are in no danger of drowning any more than the average swimmer. The Kroc center was HUGE and could afford it — I’d be loath to require Motel Six to do it!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NO. NO. and NO. It ain’t necessarily so. There was a time when I had membership at the Kroc Center in San Diego (an EXCELLENT facility btw, a rec. pool with 5 lanes or so - deepest part about 4 feet. The more ‘serious’ pool — 11 lanes, all deep water 9-12 feet or so. And a therapy pool-this last indoors. Therapy pool about chest high. MANY elderly people used it, along with those of us with aches/pains etc. They had 2 of the chairlifts — one for indoors and the other stationed outdoors at the ‘serious’ pool — it was made good use of by those who needed it. Handicapped people aren’t all the same! Not really easy to haul yourself in and out of pool if you’re missing a leg or an arm — but otherwise they swim quite well and manage — that’s HOW they manage to stay in shape - they are in no danger of drowning any more than the average swimmer. The Kroc center was HUGE and could afford it — I’d be loath to require Motel Six to do it!
I understand your point. It sounds like the facility you described (the therapy pool) was specifically designed to acommodate people with varying degrees of physical limitations and/or a significant handicap. When I posted my comment, I was thinking more in terms of the average public pool, staffed by personnel who are not necessarily trained to work with such individuals. I understand that many people with disabilities are capable of handling themselves in such situations. However, I still think the potential for tragedy is very real at a public pool that is not properly equipped, and does not have personnel who are specifically trained to deal with these circumstances.