Skowhegan hospital seems at closing indoor swimming pools used for remedy, swim classes

SKOWHEGAN — Redington-Fairview General Hospital is contemplating closing its two ageing indoor swimming pools, a transfer that would depart those that say the amenities have helped them rehabilitate after accidents, keep match and be taught to swim with no different close by possibility.

The swimming pools, a 94-degree remedy pool and an 84-degree lap pool, are the one year-round, indoor aquatics amenities simply accessible to the general public. The facility serves a whole lot of individuals, based on the hospital, Somerset County’s main medical supplier.

But the swimming pools at Redington Rehab at 57 Fairview Ave. require important — and expensive — structural upgrades to stay open, stated Buffy Higgins, the hospital’s director of operations.

Meanwhile, Redington-Fairview is seeing an uptick in demand for bodily, occupational and speech remedy, Higgins stated through e-mail. Those providers at the moment are supplied out of the identical constructing.

“As part of our long-term facility planning, we are exploring the option of filling in the existing pool space and renovating the area to create additional patient care areas that better meet current and future needs across these growing service lines,” Higgins wrote. “We understand the importance of aquatic services to many of our patients and members of the community.”

Higgins stated Redington-Fairview executives haven’t made a closing resolution in regards to the swimming pools and are evaluating all choices for alternative. Higgins added the hospital has no timeline for a choice, as executives proceed to debate the matter internally.

“Our priority remains ensuring safe, high-quality care and making thoughtful, responsible decisions that best serve our patients and community while aligning with RFGH’s mission,” Higgins wrote.

Current program choices embody water aerobics, water health and swimming classes  based on current flyers. A Special Olympics program additionally commonly makes use of the ability.

For adults, a month-to-month membership to entry the swimming pools, use a health room and take lessons is $60; a day go is $7.50. Students and senior residents pay half worth for each the month-to-month and every day passes.

The hospital estimates the swimming pools serve about 950 individuals, a determine that features current one-time customers in addition to common guests.

Among them is Brenda Madden, 65, of Anson, who stated she first used the remedy pool after being injured in a automobile crash greater than 20 years in the past after which once more after a rotator cuff damage.

Madden, in a prolonged social media publish that circulated broadly in native teams and that she shared with the Morning Sentinel, wrote of the many individuals she has seen profit from the ability and the optimistic relationships that type there.

“This community deserves better than a quiet closure of a resource that has benefited so many,” Madden wrote within the publish, which additionally praised the pool workers.

Julian Payne, 57, of Cornville, stated he began swimming every day in January after being prescribed a CPAP machine for sleep apnea, whereas additionally coping with different well being issues like hypertension and pre-diabetes.

In the previous couple of months, Payne stated the hourlong every day swims, together with common strolling and food plan adjustments, have resulted in him shedding 40 kilos. He stated he has additionally been capable of cease utilizing the CPAP machine and been capable of get off most of his medicines.

“It’s great preventative medicine,” Payne stated of the swimming pool. “It’s good for the mood, too, just general wellbeing and how friendly the staff are … There’s no judgment of what level you’re at — you just come and do the best you can.”

The subsequent closest indoor lap pool from his Cornville residence, Payne stated, is on the Alfond Youth & Community Center in Waterville. But he’s involved that driving that distance day-after-day to train wouldn’t be price it if the Redington-Fairview swimming pools had been to shut.

Baylee Dominski, 33, of North Anson, stated her 5-year-old son, who has autism, takes non-public swimming classes at Redington Rehab as soon as every week. It can also be the place Dominski discovered to swim years in the past. While her household has the means to get to the Waterville pool, if wanted, prior to now it was not an excellent match for her son as a result of that facility is far busier and noisier, Dominski stated.

“He’s also benefited therapeutically on so many other levels,” she stated. “It’s helped him with regulation and mood, and I know that a lot of other kids benefit from this as well.”