Life-changing equipment provides freedom and independence

The Aquatic Centre in the Northern Rockies Regional Recreation Centre has installed a ceiling lift system that enables wheelchair users to be independent when using the changing rooms.

During the downtime in the COVID-19 lockdown, the people working at the Aquatic Centre decided to upgrade the changing room with a Guldmann GH3 ceiling lift solution. They knew that several of their visitors would benefit from this upgrade and they also knew of customers that were not able to use the facilities because they needed more assistance.

Their vision was to make the Aquatic Centre accessible for a wider group of people, and they succeeded: When the Aquatic Centre re-opened to the public, the result was life-changing.

On the first day, the crew had tipped a regular customer whom they thought would benefit from the ceiling lift to come swimming.

The customer brought her support worker but ended up being able to do everything herself because she was able to use the new lift in the changing room.

As she worked through getting ready to go for a swim, she used the lift to get herself out of her wheelchair and into the sling, changed herself, lowered herself into one of the aquatic chairs and got into the pool all on her own.

She was then able to do it all over again when she was finished.

Previously, a wheelchair user who wished to swim in the pool would have to hire helpers or ask family members to come with them and help transfer them from the wheelchair to the aquatic chair.

Now, wheelchair users can come to the Aquatic Centre and be just as independent as the majority of the visitors.