By Jackie Gay

Clemens Brauns works for Vancouver Coastal Health as MSIP (Muscular-Skeletal Prevention) Advisor. I started by asking Clemens about the main focus of his job was and also how he came to be working in the field of Safe Patient Handling (SPH).

‘My job is to assist employees of the Health Authority access the help that they need to prevent injuries at work. It has been true for many years that the most common injuries in health care are to the back and shoulders.

‘I have a background in physiotherapy, so have hands-on experience of the day-to-day realities of moving and lifting patients. In fact it was when I was working at St Paul’s hospital in Vancouver that I first became involved with Muscular-Skeletal prevention, working as a part-time co-ordinator. But way back, before my professional training, I worked as a residential care aide in Sweden. There was very little equipment then, and it was very straining.

‘Even though I was young, I knew I would some day pay the price. It’s the accumulation of strain over the years, you see, that causes the damage.

‘That’s the biggest change I’ve seen over the years. When I first witnessed patient handling, staff were using manual techniques for all cases, from minimal to maximum assist. There were very few lifts available and of course patients have to be moved! Today, there is lots of equipment and almost all the organizations involved in patient care are pushing for minimal manual handling.

‘Initially my role involved developing policies and instigating education and training. Now that that work is basically completed, I help units get equipped properly – installing ceiling lifts for example, and promoting the concept of “non-manual” lifts.

I asked Clemens to outline the affect of these changes on the health care workers’ daily routine.

‘Say 15 years ago,’ he said. ‘Many staff would be manual lifting all day long – helping patients in and out of bed, in and out of wheelchairs, turning patients over in their beds. By the end of an 8-12 hour shift their shoulders and back would be achy and tired and they would be exhausted – if not injured.

‘Now the ideal is that unless a patient requires just a hand – for balance, maybe – then staff will use equipment to move them – on to a commode, for example; into a wheelchair and to and from the bath. They don’t have to wrestle with patients on their beds, they can lift them with one finger and the equipment.

‘Consequently they are less exhausted and with a much lower degree of fatigue. Staff have told me that the ceiling lifts are a “Godsend”. One lady said to me that she used to wonder how she’d be able to continue working until she was 65 – now that her workplace has safe handling equipment, she knows that she’ll be fine.

‘There was an interview on CBC recently with an employee in a care facility. She had suffered an injury and emphasized the different the installation of a ceiling lift made to her. “I’m confident I can continue in my work now,” she said.’

‘That’s the essence of my job. Preventing injuries and enabling people to both work and have a life after work – whether that be in the evening because they’re no longer so exhausted they just collapse; or when they retire after their service.

‘But there are other considerations as well. Health Authority staffing considerations can be severely affected by injury and sickness and there’s a huge financial element if staff have insurance or compensation claims.

‘I work on the “ethical” side of the coin but of course safe patient handling needs to make sense for everyone. Keeping people healthy and in their posts is the sustainable way forward.

My last question was about Best Practice in BC. Why is the province so far ahead of other parts of Canada and the World in Safe Patient Handling?

‘I think it was a fortunate “lucky constellation,”’ said Clemens. ‘Like other countries and provinces, Canada had a high rate of musculoskeletal injuries among healthcare workers and Worksafe BC (then called WCB) started pushing the Health Authorities to take action and implement effective injury prevention programs.

‘At the same time there was an increasing level of research indicating that there was no safe method to manually lift patients. Furthermore the evidence was that moving people in their beds – washing or toileting etc. – as well as transferring/lifting them in and out of the bed, caused the injuries. There had been ongoing training on how to lift people safely but this was having minimal results. The Unions and WorkSafe BC started to push for “no manual” lifting policies and the research showed that people needed tools for this. Training may prevent some injuries but the accumulation of stress is a big factor.

‘So BC leaped ahead by deciding to invest in ceiling lifts and equipment that enabled staff to reduce manual handing. Essentially there was a realization that when you’re dealing with ergonomics there are two types of “risk control.” Administrative control such as procedures and training work around the risk; whereas Engineering solutions eradicate the risk. Even if people lift perfectly every time – which is never going to happen in the real world – there are still forces acting on the body and the effect of these are cumulative over time.’

Health Service staff working more safely for longer with energy left over for their families and interests – that’s what I call a “lucky constellation.”!’

Thank you, Clemens

Beckley Farm Lodge is a residential care home in Victoria BC, on Simcoe Street. It is run by Beckley Farm Lodge Society. In November 2011 they were the first facility in Victoria to install an Angelica tilting tub, for the use of the community. Patients who are having difficulties bathing in their home environment are referred to Melissa by their case managers, or individuals find out about the service through other information networks such as ‘Seniors Living Magazine’.

The Angelica Tilting Tub is manufactured BEKA-Hospitec, a German manufacturing company. Angel Accessibility Solutions recently became a shareholder in BEKA, mainly because of the high quality functional Products that they make.

The Angelica Tiliting Tub presents a new way of bathing people who have mobility difficulties. Patients can walk straight into the tub and sit down, or than can be transferred by sling or assisted into the tub by a health care worker. Once they are sitting, they are fully supported by the sides of the tub before it is tilted backwards to provide a comfortable and safe full bath.

I started the interview by asking Melissa what kinds of patients she works with.

‘There’s a big variety,’ she said. ‘I have some who’ve had hip replacements, and have problems both getting in and out of a normal tub and also twisting and turning once they’re in there. Then there’s people with mobility difficulties such as amputees; and I have one patient who with ALS who is completely immobile and unable to support himself at all.’

‘The Angelica Tiliting Tub is great because once people are in they are fully supported – for example my guy with ALS has no core muscle support but once he’s in the tub he can sit and stay supported. The Angelica sort of “hugs” people.’

‘This tub is much better than other ones I’ve used because once tilted back patients are completely covered in water – before they would still be sitting up so didn’t get the benefit of total immersion.’

‘I also really like the drainage channel – which I call the “hygiene hole” – because it allows people to wash all over without twisting or turning themselves and I can wash people fully without having to manipulate their limbs or move them at all.’

‘And everyone really likes the jets!’

‘Part of the problem with bathing people who are frail or have mobility problems is that they are frightened – naturally – of slipping, falling or getting stuck. The Angelica Tiliting Tub takes all these anxieties away. I had one lady who was terrified of water and would avoid washing because of this. But we get her lovely and clean now.’

Community referrals pay $5 per bath and get a 45 minute slot. ‘I have one lady who is 102,’ says Melissa. ‘She is awesome – she walks straight into the tub. A normal tub would be too low for her, and too slippery. The mental fear is a big issue and I make sure I establish a routine and reassure people that I can steady them if necessary.’

‘The biggest benefit is that this tub is not scary. You sit in it just like you do in a chair, and then you lie back and are totally covered with water. This is the only tub I’ve used where you can do that. It has holistic benefits rather than just being purely functional. The ladies, particularly, like to lie back, relax and have a chat. I know people enjoy it, even if they can’t speak I see their faces – one patient I have can’t talk but he has a huge smile on his face while in the tub. He has so much going on in his life but for 20 minutes he’s in a warm, comfortable, relaxed environment. And getting clean!’

Other benefits are that the tub only take 2-3 minutes to fill and 90 litres of water (other comparable tubs take 200 litres). So there are considerable cost savings over time. Plus the tub is better ergonomically for the caregiver because the patient is flat and so everything is reachable without bending.

‘With other tubs,’ says Melissa, ‘bathing is a chore for both patients and caregiver. It’s about getting washed and people don’t want to go through it. With the Angelica Tilting Tub it’s more of an experience. Patients keep their dignity and relax properly. My schedule is chocked full.’

No wonder! With Melissa’s professional competence, caring attitude and the unique features of the Angelica Tilting Tub, it can’t be long before the word spreads and bathing for seniors and people with mobility issues becomes about more than just getting clean.

Angel’s Management Team recently participated in a 2-day Strategic Planning Workshop hosted by Cathy McCullough from Gazelle Systems.

The purpose of this workshop was to help us shape the long-term future – not of mankind – but to guide our planning for the next 1-10 years.

It’s an interesting process once you get started.  You leave the every day details behind and delve into the heart and soul of the company: What makes us tick? What fuels us (and makes us combustible)? Why would people choose to deal with us?

Simple, on the surface, but we spent a considerable amount of time interrogating what might seem obvious, and it resulted in a clearer set of what are now our Guiding Principles.

I have never been comfortable with the term ‘Core Values’. They sound like something uttered in your final breath, or something so profound and otherworldly that casual discussion would somehow corrupt them.

So we decided that we would focus our plan around the much less ambiguous idea of Guiding Principles. These are principles that we adhere to as a Company and that we want all staff to understand and practice.

We weren’t starting from scratch – after all Angel has been in business for over 15 years now. We worked on identifying and clarifying what makes us the company we are and the qualities our staff should be prepared to sign up to.

The Guiding Principles are both principles we can hire too and an important way of expressing ourselves. They also act as checks and balances: if we cannot live up to these we had better find a way to improve or we face the same fate of any organization that is without fundamental precepts.

I am happy to communicate these Guiding Principles as evidence of our staff’s belief in what we do and commitment to doing it better.

We also want to share these values with our clients and the community to show the ways we would like to contribute and make a difference.

Guiding Principles

Angel….

Gives Exceptional….

• Value

• Service

• Support

Exceeds Expectations by Providing…

• Innovative Solutions

• Guaranteed Customer Satisfaction

Is Respectful of Everyone’s…

• Challenges

• Independence

• Dignity

Cheers,

George

All sports fans will know that the Olympic and Paralympic Games are to be held in London this year. All over the World and here in Canada our athletes are preparing for the biggest event of their careers – the ‘Big Dance’, as some have coined it.

Well, local sports fans and followers of this blog will be very pleased to hear that local sailors John McRoberts and Stacie Louttit have won their ticket to the dance!

John and Stacie, from Victoria BC, represented Canada in the 2008 Paralympics in China and came home with a Bronze medal in the Skud 18 sailing event.

Their qualifying event for London was the IFDS (International Federation for Disabled Sailing) World Championships held in Port Charlotte, Florida, this January.

In a week of tricky, highly competitive racing on the waters of Charlotte Harbor, John and Stacie beat their Canadian rivals in every race but one and were officially selected for the Games.

They then went on to sail in the Miami Olympic Class regatta for another week of glorious racing in beautiful Biscayne Bay, achieving fourth place against the top World teams of GBR, Australia and USA.

‘By the end of the month we were on top of our game,’ said John. ‘We were in the mix the whole time and led many races. So now we need to consolidate our tactics and decision making in preparation for September.’

The 2012 Paralympic Games take place from 29 August to 9^th September and the sailing competition will be in Weymouth, Dorset (not London!). The team has already raced twice at the venue and the Canadian Yachting Association has rented a house locally so that athletes can train and prepare effectively.

‘We feel at home there now,’ said John. ‘It’s great to be familiar with the venue and the conditions. We’re excited and very proud to be representing Canada again.’

If you would like to support John and Stacie’s efforts to bring home another medal then please visit their website www.teamucan2.ca

And there was another ‘family’ success down in Florida this January. Jackie McRoberts (John’s wife and the author of this blog) qualified for the Canadian Sailing Team in her single-handed 2.4mR keelboat ‘Ula’. She is more than excited to be able to continue her sailing career here in beautiful BC and proud to call Cadboro Bay her ‘office’!

Angel Accessibility Solutions is proud to be a sponsor for these terrific Canadian competitors.

Interview with Vesa Myllyniemi

By Jackie Gay

The first question I asked Vesa, when I met him at Angel’s offices on a chilly December day was, ‘so what’s your role within the company?’

‘Hmm,’ he said, ‘a bit of everything, I guess.’

Starting as a project manager undertaking CAD drawing projects, Vesa quickly established himself as a Jack (and master…) of all trades, able to move between machinery installation, repairs, the company’s computer systems, and ‘anything that needs fixing, really.’

‘I do the stuff that nobody else can,’ he said.

Vesa has been with the company for over 7 years, and prior to his move to Angel, was a repair technician in the fitness equipment industry.

‘I built it and fixed it,’ he said, ‘great work for me because I like to be “hands-on” but the nature of the job meant that I could be sent away from home and this became incompatible with my home and family life.’

Working for Angel enables him to get this balance right – whilst still getting his hands dirty.

‘I like the variety of this job. I’d go crazy staring at a computer screen all day, I like to get out there and get things done.’

I reminded him that eventually the computer will need fixing too, and he smiled, wryly.

‘I’ve always been interested in technology, how things work, I’m self-taught when it comes to computers and this gives me the confidence to tackle problems. I know I can “step into the breach”.’

‘George is a good boss for me because he steps back and gives us responsibility. I like that, I respond to it well because I know I can get the job done without anyone breathing down my neck. I thrive when I’m given more rope.’

Studies show that George has the right approach; once their basic needs are satisfied (they can pay the bills!) people are motivated by autonomy, challenge and making a contribution.

Like all Angel’s employees, Vesa is proud to be a part of Angel’s role as an enabler in the community. ‘We’re not just making or fixing parts, pieces of machinery, we’re improving people’s lives. All of us here are trying to make things better. You might start as a fitter or a receptionist but soon you’ll become involved in the company’s ethos, in working together to help people with disabilities.’

‘I’ve been to China twice,’ he said, ‘and I never once saw a person in a wheelchair. To me that was shocking because it’s such a part of my life, here.’

Which led us to talking about another journey Vesa has taken over the last five years.

It all started when Vesa and his wife Jennifer started sponsoring a child in China. The couple – who already had two children, Annaleena and Luke – had friends who had visited the country and the experience of sponsorship made them keen to visit the Chinese orphanage.

‘We volunteered for two weeks,’ said Vesa, ‘then came home for a year. When my wife said she wanted to adopt one of the children, I already knew, I’d seen the way she was with the babies and children when we visited – I was too, you can’t help it, you want to pick them up and bring them home.’

The adoption process meant that they weren’t able to adopt the child they’d sponsored but a year ago they brought home Kate, who will be 4 in January.

‘She’s a special needs child,’ said Vesa. ‘They all are, in the orphanage. Basically she’d been abandoned.’

Kate was born with facial hemangioma, which caused a benign tumor to grow, covering a quarter of her face and head. ‘All we know is that she came to the orphanage at 17 months old, probably when the tumor started to grow. She’s had surgery, sponsored by an American charity, to remove the tumor, and has facial scarring as a result. At some point she’ll have plastic surgery, and she’s under the care of the BC Children’s hospital in Vancouver.’

The family took their daughter Annaleena to China when they went to bring Kate home and it was Annaleena who coaxed Kate out of her shell. ‘Annaleena would bring her toys and eventually they started playing together.’

‘She’s my girl, now,’ says Vesa. ‘It really brings the work we do home because I see people in group facilities now who would have been left to die in other places and times. But they have good lives.’

As will little Kate, now.

After a story like that it was difficult to get back to the topic of work. I rounded off our chat off by asking Vesa about his ambitions with the company. ‘I’m not sure,’ he said, ‘But stuff will get thrown at me. The company is growing, accessibility is on everyone’s radar – builders, architects – and products that improve access and enable people will continue to be sought after. There will always be developments in technology and products. I can deal with people and problems. I’m a fixer.’

Every company should have one.

Ad note: It is hard to peg a Job title for Vesa, closest thing is Special Projects Coordinator. But when you are the IT Expert, an installer, the best finisher for installed goods, a service tech, CAD operator and our swimming pool structural guru, what title can really do him justice. How about Robin Hood of Victoria, Vesa was a National Junior Archery Champion!!

George

December 12, 2011

Angel Accessibility Solutions is pleased to announce we have acquired part ownership of
Beka-Hospitec, a quality Healthcare Manufacturing firm based in Wetzlar, Germany.

On September 1, 2011, Angel Accessibility Solutions with two other key investors purchased the assets of Beka-Hospitec, a German based manufacturing company. Beka was established in 1986 and has a global distribution network with exports to over 40 countries.

For Angel Accessibility Solutions, this is a strategic acquisition and long term investment. This investment will provide us a top quality product range into the foreseeable future. Angel has four years experience with Beka Products and we know this will provide our customers with top quality. Beka is a valuable company with tremendous potential.

Beka is a manufacturer of quality products. Their core competency is around effective, well-designed and functional care products. The product range includes care tubs, transfer devices, transport devices and hygiene products.

At Angel Accessibility Solutions, our main focus is quality care through the elimination of staff injuries when moving residents and patients. Beka products span the range from transfer devices and stand aids to bathing systems and tubs. Angel has been a Beka dealer in North American since 2006. This acquisition solidifies our supply chain so we can deliver long-term benefits and are in a position to guide future development.

At Beka, the value proposition is based on design, functionality and quality. Design has reached a zenith at Beka and some of the newest products, such as the Avero Phoenix Tub and the Avero Comfort Tub are the best available, sidestepping the tradition of institutional looking Products.

The Avero Comfort and Avero Phoenix Tubs (shown above).

The basis of good design in healthcare is functionality. The data for this product design has been collected from actual users. The analysis of the design includes input from different disciplines as well as the users in the marketplace. Beka products are designed for a purpose with a purpose. Angel has carried Beka Products for over 5 years, and they are proving their functional design works.

Quality, mentioned last is the main reason Angel first went with Beka. We were tired of products that were not built robust enough for the market, and tired of products built in so only expensive repairs from the sole source manufacturer could be used to fix every piece of the tub or equipment. Beka products last under institutional use and many of the plumbing components can be acquired at a local store.

The Beka philosophy translates to “Just because a product is made for use in healthcare, it should not be so special you need to mortgage your future to do any repairs’.

Beka Products are built under ISO standards, with the typical German penchant for high quality. We are pleased to announce to all our customers that we can deliver this high end product, for the long term.

Our focus is to make this the product line of choice at Care Facilities across North America.

John McRoberts: The long and winding road...

It is one year until the 2012 Paralympics in England, and John McRoberts, skipper of Canada’s Skud 18 paralympic sailing team, is well aware of the challenges of the next 12 months. ‘The last year is certainly the most intense,’ says John, who has represented Canada twice at previous games and brought a bronze medal home to BC after the Beijing Games in 2008. ‘Competition for medals is fierce, the sport is developing fast and in sailing you never stop learning, so we will have to be fully on our game this year.’

John, whose sailing career includes podium success in 2.4mR, Sonar and Hobie Trapseat classes, is now focused solely on the Skud 18 for London 2012. ‘The Skud 18 is the best boat for me,’ he says. ‘As a C6-7 quadriplegic I need to feel safe and comfortable on the water and we have worked hard to develop seating and steering so that I can focus on driving the boat and making the right decisions.’

Having recalled his medal-winning crew from China, Stacie Louttit, and engaging coach Mike Pinckney (Beijing Gold medal coach), John feels he has all the pieces in place for a successful campaign. ‘We are ready to go,’ he says. ‘We have a new boat, excellent training partners and a full program of events set up.’ The team will be heading south for the winter season, aiming for podium results at the IFDS Worlds at Port Charlotte in January and again at Miami Olympic Classes regatta.

And the team’s goal for 2012?   ‘To see the Canadian flag raised in London’ says John. ‘It’s emotional even to think about it. Standing on the podium, watching the flags get raised, hearing O Canada; the cameras, the medals and congratulations. But Stacie and I both know the work it takes to get there. As Muhammed Ali said, “The real part is won or lost somewhere far away from witnesses… out there on the road long before I dance under those lights.” That is our challenge this year, to focus on the process and not just the prize.’

Our very best wishes to John and Stacie.

—

Angel Accessibility Solutions has been a proud sponsor of U Can2 and John McRoberts for over 5 years. Prior to John winning Bronze in Beijing we assisted in purchasing a Skud competition boat and recently purchased a newer boat for the Program.

Angel is pleased to be a key sponsor of this very successful athlete and we wish him all the best as he goes for Gold in 2012.

Introducing Patrick Sheridan, Service Manager

Patrick Sheridan has been employed as Service Manager for Angel for three years, prior to this he worked Canfor in Vancouver, manufacturing wood products. ‘I’ve moved from a world of where the mantras were productivity, input, output, and efficiency gains into one where customer satisfaction is king,’ he says.

‘Angel has customers right across BC, and down into Washington, Oregon and California,’ he says. ‘If a client has a problem with their equipment, then it is my job to arrange servicing, book technicians, order parts and deal the follow up.’

This is not as simple as it might sound. Sometimes the locations are so remote – hospitals in Prince George or Dawson Creek for example – that it is more cost-effective to arrange shipping of the equipment to the technician, rather than the other way round. ‘Often I troubleshoot on the phone,’ says Patrick. ‘Customers may be unfamiliar with the functions and if it is a genuine breakdown then I need an accurate description of the problem. I deal with servicing of equipment from A-Z.’

‘My job involves a lot of contact with customers. This may be a maintenance technician for a big institution or a lady who has a problem with her stair lift. We give the same level of service to all customers. I enjoy it, there’s a great deal of satisfaction to be gained from helping people.’

‘We try to get to people as quickly as we can,’ he says. ‘Level of service and speed of service are both extremely important. In fact many people comment that they’re surprised that we showed up so fast!’

Calls can come in at any time and there is always someone on duty via the 24 hour pager service. ‘We get lots of calls at 3.30 on a Friday!’ says Patrick. ‘Even on Christmas day. I remember one gentleman who was in the middle of cooking Christmas dinner. Two of his guests were wheelchair users and he discovered that his porch lift wasn’t working. We fixed it – after all, if no one from Angel came there would be no alternative but to call the fire department.’

‘It’s the nature of the business – you have to stick your neck out. With Ministry and Veterans client we will fix their problem first and then deal with the paperwork later – we’re not going to leave someone without batteries for their chair, for example.’

‘A lot of my job is plate-spinning,’ he says. ‘Ordering parts in good time, following up on calls, booking technicians. I can locate all our equipment on the database and see when it was last serviced, if there has been a previous problem. My role is critical within the company because I make sure service happens.’

Even on Christmas day.

To find out more about the Angel Team, visit our website >

The Commode from Angel Solutions

Generally, patients go into hospitals to be cured of their illness or fixed up after an injury; but the painful truth is that some get sick from being in there. In Canada, research estimates that healthcare associated infections are linked to between 8,500 and 12,000 deaths per year – the fourth leading cause of death for Canadians. No wonder we all have a hospital bug story – one in nine people pick up a healthcare associated infection whilst in hospital, and there was a 17-fold increase in MRSA in Canadian hospitals from 1995 to 2006.

One way to tackle this problem is through design. In 2008, the UK Design Council – more closely associated with funky spectacles and non-glass beer glasses – was commissioned to lead the Design Bugs Out project by the Department of Health. London-based designers Tom Lloyd and Luke Pearson began by studying the products that were already on the market. ‘Commodes felt incredibly primitive or informed by accidents of industrial heritage—tube bending and clips and rivets and bolts and welds,’ says Lloyd. ‘There was so much opportunity to make an impact.’

Using the principle that if a product is easier to clean then it will be cleaned more often (which we all know is true – think of those awkward nooks and crannies in your home…), the challenge then was to create a commode that is easy and quick to sanitize, which also improves the user experience. A key goal was to minimize the number of parts. This meant designing out all unnecessary touch points, joints between metal and plastic, sharp corners, grooves and hidden nooks and crannies.

The Commode is designed for bedside use, and as a portering chair to take patients to the toilet, where it can be wheeled over a static toilet. It is constructed from just two main parts: one smooth, continuous patient interface that can be quickly detached and cleaned and a frame that can be nested for easy storage. Materials were also considered: the seat is plastic with an integral finish which avoids the need for paint finishes or lacquers that can scratch and the frame is stainless steel for robustness and cleaner, stronger welds.

Robust, functional and easy to clean, the commode minimizes the risk of infection without compromising the patient’s dignity.

The products created through Design Bugs Out – which include a porters chair, a patient bedside system and a self-timing cannula – were toured across 25 hospitals across the UK, soliciting more than a thousand written responses. Three independent studies have also been commissioned, and following the results the Department of Health concluded that the evaluation strongly suggests that the DBO Commode is a significant improvement on existing designs. The product has been well received by patients, staff and visitors alike.

The impact of the new commode on healthcare associated infections cannot be fully assessed until the product has been rolled out more significantly. However if we take account of the Québec coroner’s conclusion, following his investigation of the deaths of patients from C. difficile in 2006: ‘the way to avoid an outbreak is to prioritize cleanliness and hygienic measures in every facility’ then that data should be available very soon.

The DBO commode is available in Canada through Angel Accessibility Solutions and is being trialed by St Joseph’s Hospital in Comox, BC.

We look forward to giving you more information on this exciting innovation and have added pages featuring both the Commode and the Patient Bedside Chair on our website.

To view the YouTube video, click here >

Sources:

http://cupe.ca/health-care/health-care-associated-infections#breaking-chain-infection

Angel Accessibility Pool Solutions

Is your public aquatic center both fun and easily accessible to all?

In our last post we talked about the human affinity with and connection to water – we want to live on or near it, we love to fish, swim, sail, kayak and otherwise enjoy our beautiful coastlines, lakes and built aquatic environments. There is no doubt that the human need for water extends beyond our need to drink it. But did you know that as we get older the amount of water as a percentage of our total body mass decreases? As babies our bodies are almost 90% water, decreasing to as low as 55-60% in later life. No wonder doctors and healthcare professionals recommend a regular trip to the pool to help us hydrate!

We have all seen how much babies and children love the water and every family has a story of a toddler who simply refused to come out! This sensory pleasure, the feel of water against our skin, does not decrease as we get older. However jumping into a tropical sea is far more enjoyable than a polar plunge (unless of course you are a polar bear…). Water temperature is just one of the issues to consider when creating an aquatic environment for your clients, and we hope that the considerations raised in this post will help you define and determine others.

Accessibility issues and environmental barriers affect people on many levels; if a facility merely appears problematic then some people will be deterred. What is not in doubt is that many of us will face special requirements in our lives, as both society and demographics transform. This is one of the challenges of the 21st Century: is it possible to make everything accessible for all?

Our focus is on aquatic environments. Our last blog discussed the impact of building codes, ADA and other standards, and the fact that these regulations only go part of the way towards making an environment accessible. Any rule or standards based system is only as good as the intentions of the people that implement them. Of course rules are necessary and essential for safety and legality, but a rule-based approach is just one step towards the goal of an accessible environment.

Every built environment creates different expectations for human interaction. Planners and designers need to consider which systems create the opportunities your pool users or customers are looking for. The first step is to consider who will be using the system; who are your customers and how do you aim to serve their needs? For example, for a paraplegic to operate independently within the pool area, systems specific to a wheelchair user have to be constructed. You need to consider the whole environment and the experience from beginning to end in order for that person to be able to enjoy a stress-free (and therefore beneficial) dip.

If you want to serve people who have severe multiple disabilities you need to design systems, which will enable caregivers to safely provide the right assistance for all needs in a pool area.

We have created design checklists for complete pool system planning and access. Here are some of the things you need to consider: • Parking: from where to where?

• Accessible front doors

• Accessible/reachable counters

• Wide doors and hallways

• Easy open or power doors

• Lifts and full-length change tables in the changing area

• Private areas to change

• Transfers to deck area

• Water temperature

• Easy access to all pools and the ability to transfer people without lifting

• Accessible changing and showering area

Angel has created and worked with many Aquatic Centers to provide functioning systems. In our next blog we’ll discuss some specific pieces of equipment you may want to add to your accessibility system.

Everyone loves the pool and people with disabilities can benefit hugely from accessible, friendly, facilities: relief of joint stress, hydrotherapy, exercise and of course that wonderful sensory feeling of the water. If you build it they will come!

For more information, visit our Pool Lift and Accessories on our website…