Daina Elberts has been a member of the Greater Burlington YMCA since November of 2022, which coincided with her move to the Fern Hill Senior Living community. Located about a mile away from the 298 College Street facility, Daina was now close to our multi-purpose center where she could explore the aquatics programs and classes designed for active older adults.
Inspired by her positive experience, Daina wanted to share her story with her neighbors at Fern Hill, hoping to encourage them to visit the Y as well. She wrote an article for the Fern Hill newsletter, featuring pictures of the pools and an interview with the Assistant Director of Aquatics, Kate Weins. Daina plans to write more articles, aiming to help her neighbors discover the health benefits that she has enjoyed from her Y membership.
Below is Daina’s story titled Swimming at the YMCA. Thank you, Daina, for your advocacy for wellness!
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One of the first things I did when I moved into Fern Hill was sign up for a YMCA membership.
I knew I wanted to start swimming right away, because I found it to be both fun and relaxing. There is something freeing about being weightless while moving through water. Even though I wouldn’t call myself a “real” swimmer like some, I can side-swim and breaststroke my way to the end of the lap pool and not sink, which works for me!
Here are a few basics about YMCA aquatics. At the Burlington location on 298 College Street, there are two pools to choose from. The program pool, heated to 86 degrees, is the smaller and shallower of the two pools, ranging in depth from 2 to 5 feet. The program pool hosts daily swim times for adults only; parents and children occupy their own separate slot. In the program pool during Adult Swim, you can do laps or just splash around.
The program pool is where you want to go for all kinds of swim classes, everything from Water Aerobics to Aqua Zumba. Geared toward seniors are two swim classes, Aqua Arthritis and Silver Foxes. I have seen the Arthritis class in motion, and they look like they are having fun! Swimming especially benefits those with arthritis. It stimulates blood circulation, reduces muscle stiffness, and helps make joints more flexible.
In addition, water has an ability to provide resistance which increases muscle strength! Because swimming involves the whole body, the muscles in the arms, legs and torso will get a good workout.
The lap pool (heated to 82 degrees) is bigger than the program pool and offers four lanes for swimming. “The lap pool is generally for folks who want to swim laps for exercise,” said Kate Weins, Assistant Director of Aquatics. “You can be swimming at any speed.”
The deep end of the lap pool is 9 feet, so it is advisable to know how to swim! To add to your swimming experience, you can choose flippers for your feet, kickboards to hold onto with your upper body, water weights or pool noodles, which are flotation devices.
And if you are in a wheelchair, don’t worry, both pools have an accessible lift! Often, I have witnessed wheelchair users go right up to the lift and lower themselves into the water to swim. Now that is inspirational!