Giving a disabled person the opportunity to spend time in your pool is a great way to show your care and concern for this large and sometimes neglected segment of our society (see Parts 1, 2 & 3). Whether it’s due to an accident, aging, or a genetic condition, disability can suddenly impact a person’s life at practically any time. Even if you don’t have someone in your immediate family who is currently suffering from a disability, chances are pretty good that eventually, sometime in the future, you will. Or, you may end up facing this type of challenge yourself. If so, you’ll be thankful that you were prepared for the situation by deciding to install handicap accessible equipment in your backyard pool.
Install a Lift for Your Pool for Extra Peace of Mind
All of the other options we’ve mentioned so far for helping a disabled person gain access to the pool involve at least some level of mobility on the part of the disabled person with the exception of a wheelchair accessible sloped entry ramp. A lift is one of the best ways to move someone who is disabled in and out of the pool, because it will require zero physical effort on their part. They don’t have to be able to walk, stand, or even sit up on their own to use the lift.
You can choose to go with a manually operated or automatic lift depending on your needs, budget, and preference. There are a whole host of different designs you can choose from as well. As the name implies, the lift operates by lifting the disabled person up and then lowering them into the water. In order to leave the water, they simply head back to the lift, and it can quickly and easily take them back up out of the water again. They’ll be comfortably seated in a lift chair that’s attached to the lift. Once the arm of the lift swings out over the water, it slowly lowers the person down for a refreshing dip in the pool.
Every Little Bit of Accommodation Helps
You may not be able to afford all of the pieces of equipment mentioned in this series of articles. That’s perfectly okay. These pieces can be added one at a time on an as-needed basis. Or, if you suddenly find that you have the financial ability, you could choose to make your pool completely ADA-Compliant for people with disabilities to use all at once. Whatever pieces of disability accommodating pool equipment you decide to add to your pool, make sure you’re choosing ones that actually meet ADA requirements.
Make sure to consult with a reputable pool equipment professional when it is time to make your pool handicap accessible. They’ll be able to point you in the right direction when it comes to choosing quality products and finding a capable team to install them correctly. Once you complete this project, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that your investment will make a positive difference in the lives of people you love who are living with disabilities.
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