Ninety-two-year-old gets back in pool after decades calling it 'best day of my life'

With the help of her care worker, a nonagenarian has taken up swimming again after decades, calling it the “best day of my life”.

The 92-year-old hadn’t been in a swimming pool in years. But she now swims regularly and loves the “freedom” of it, thanks to her care worker from Seniors Helping Seniors.

Colin Meager visits her daily, prompting her to take her medication, as well as supporting her at home and during mealtimes. The pair often go for walks in the woods but due to concerns over her knees, they decided to give swimming a go, with her family calling it a “resounding success”.

Her son says: “Mum comes home overjoyed after swimming. I think that this is one of the best things that has happened to her for years.”

After swimming, she is “noticeably very upbeat, chatting more, smiling more and incredibly positive”, according to her care worker Colin Meager.

The home care provider in Harrow, Guildford, Canterbury, and Tonbridge employs able, older people to care for their fellow elderly in all the surrounding towns and villages.

Their oldest caregiver is 83 but the average age is 65-75. Founders Christian and Sally Wilse have found using older caregivers can really help if the person they are caring for has dementia, saying: “They may be resistant to someone coming into the home to care for them but if they are a similar age, they often think they are a friend and refer to them as a friend.”

The 92-year-old who is living with dementia is on an exercise referral scheme, which gives discounted activity sessions and recommended exercise for people with diagnoses. Referrals can be issued by any registered health professional such as a GP, consultant. physiotherapist, dietician, nurse specialist or OneYou health advisor.

Seniors Helping Seniors believe the key to embarking on activity is companionship. Sally Wilse says: “It’s tough to do something new, especially when you’re confronted with a new diagnosis or you just can’t get yourself motivated like you used to.”

Seniors Helping Seniors is recruiting people interested in running a centre in their own community in South-East and East England. Already reaching over one million people, the organisation is aiming for another million in the next year through approved ethical franchising.

click here for more details or to contact Seniors Helping Seniors (UK) Ltd - Canterbury