PodLifeStart from your plan
Send us the targets, restrictions and movements your physiotherapist or consultant has set. We'll work to those rather than inventing our own, and we'll tell you if we think something isn't appropriate in water.
Rehabilitation & older years
Back to the water, at the pace the body allows.
Water is forgiving in a way that land isn't. It takes weight off joints, allows movement without impact, and lets someone do a little more than they can manage on dry land. We teach older swimmers, and swimmers returning after surgery, illness or a long time away — one to one, in warm water, with no expectation of what this week should look like.
Older yearsPost-surgeryRecovery1:1Warm waterHoist and step access
How we plan a lesson
We work alongside your team, not instead of it
We're a swim school, not a clinical service, and we won't pretend to be one. What we can do is take the plan you already have — from a physiotherapist, a consultant, an occupational therapist — and build a water lesson around it.
A lesson that can shrink
Some weeks you'll manage the full half hour. Some weeks ten minutes is the right amount. We plan for the session to be shortened without it feeling like a failure.
Getting in and out safely
Hoist, wide steps and a shallow teaching shelf, with a coach within arm's reach and support workers welcome in the water. Tell us the route that works and we'll build the lesson around it.
Warm water and quiet hours
Warm water eases stiff joints and lets muscles work without the shock of cold. Quiet hours mean no crowds, no whistles and no reason to hurry.
Confidence, not just movement
A body that has changed or let someone down can be hard to trust again. A lot of what we do is simply rebuilding the confidence to move without holding on.
Whatever the goal is
Getting back in the sea on holiday. Swimming with grandchildren. Walking without a stick. Managing a length without stopping. Tell us what it is and we'll aim at that.
Medical needs
Planned in writing, before we start
If you're coming to us after surgery or with a long-term condition, we write an individual plan with you before the first lesson — not on the day, and not from memory.
Our form covers surgery and recovery status, cardiac and respiratory conditions, epilepsy, diabetes, mobility and handling needs, and anything else a coach should know. We'll also ask who to call, what equipment stays poolside, and what a normal week looks like for you — so that a change is noticed rather than missed.
If you have a physiotherapist, consultant or occupational therapist involved, we'd rather speak to them. With your permission we'll do that before you get in the water.
Please tell us about
- Recent surgery, and any movement or weight-bearing restrictions
- Cardiac, respiratory or circulatory conditions
- Diabetes, epilepsy, or anything that can change quickly
- Mobility, balance and handling needs, and how you get in and out
- Medication that affects balance, energy or temperature
- Who to contact, and what your normal looks like
Questions
What swimmers and families ask us
Do I need a referral from a physiotherapist or doctor?
No, you can book directly. But if you're recovering from surgery or living with a condition that affects what you can safely do, we'd much rather speak to whoever is treating you first. Send us their guidance and we'll build the lesson around it.
I haven't been in water for years. Where do we start?
Exactly where you are — often on the side, or on the top step, getting used to the water and the temperature again. There's no expectation that you swim on the first visit, and no clock running on how quickly you get there.
Is the water warm enough for stiff joints?
Our teaching pool runs warm, which is one of the reasons we chose it. If temperature matters for your condition, ask us for the pool sheet before you book and we'll give you the actual figure rather than a vague answer.
Can a carer or family member come in the water?
Yes, and they're welcome poolside as well. Tell us who's coming so we can plan the lane and, if needed, an extra pair of hands.
How do I get in and out?
There's a poolside hoist, wide steps and a shallow teaching shelf, with a coach within arm's reach the whole time. Tell us on the form which route works for you and we'll plan the lesson around it, including where you'll sit and how long the walk is.
Can I just come to swim, without being taught?
If you'd rather have the water to yourself than have a coach, ask about our relaxed pool sessions outside the lesson timetable. Not every visit needs a lesson attached.
Come and see whether the water helps.
Thirty minutes, one-to-one, in warm water and a quiet hour, with a coach who will plan around your body rather than against it. Only pay if you want to stay.