About Aquability
Aquability offers a range of water-based programs for children and adults with cerebral palsy at an accessible indoor hydrotherapy pool on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Water-based activities are ideal for people with cerebral palsy, as the buoyancy of the water allows a greater freedom of movement.
Aquability offers a number of different programs:
Children and Teenagers
- Water familiarisation groups for preschoolers, which teach basic water and safety skills. Children are helped to work on developmental milestones by reinforcing their land-based skills. A parent or carer is needed to assist children in the water.
- Mobility and fitness groups for school age children and adults to help reinforce water and land based skills. Safety and stroke development are an important part of these sessions.
- Stroke development classes for school-age children, held after school.
- Saturday morning program - the Allambie Seals Swim Club is for children with a disability aged 5 and over who are able to swim 25 metres with minimal assistance. The club runs on Saturday mornings from 8 to 9 am. The aim is to give children with a disability the same opportunities as their able bodied peers to participate in swimming, in a supportive yet competitive environment.
All ages
- Aquatic physiotherapy, which is a treatment carried out in water by a physiotherapist to achieve a specific therapeutic goal.
- Assessment and program planning to assist parents and carers of people with cerebral palsy to carry out individually-tailored programs in community hydrotherapy pools.
- Individual sessions in 4-6 week blocks for all ages, based on need. This can include pre- and post-operative therapy. Blocks may be repeated during the year. A parent or carer must accompany the participant to help them change and for their personal care needs.
- Saturday open sessions - the pool also has open family sessions for clients of the Cerebral Palsy Alliance. From 9.15 - 11.00 am on Saturdays, children and adults who have had an assessment can access the pool. The swimmer will need to be accompanied by their parent or carer to help them change and to conduct their individual aquatic program. An Aquability staff member is in attendance for consultation.
- Community group – the general community can access the pool at set times during the week for hydrotherapy sessions. A medical consent form is required and people must have their own program from their physiotherapist.
Disability Service Providers
- Training courses for carers and therapists who assist people with a disability in the water. This includes training in regional centres of NSW.
Who is Eligible?
Aquability’s programs and are primarily available to adults, teenagers and children with cerebral palsy.
When is it Available?
The programs run from Monday to Thursday and Saturday morning. Small groups are also run on Monday morning at Kirrawee for preschool children and a school age group at St George on Friday afternoon.
Cost
There is no cost for services to people who are clients of Cerebral Palsy Alliance.
Assessments for non Cerebral Palsy Alliance clients - $85. Pool access during community group time - $5. Training programs in rural areas may incur a fee. Contact the Aquability Coordinator.
Location
- Aquability
- Captain Ron Patrick Memorial Pool, Aquatic Drive, Frenchs Forest, NSW 2084
Contact
- Aquability
- Phone
- 02 9975 8479 (+61 2 9975 8479)
- Fax
- 02 9975 8457 (+61 2 9975 8457)
