So here’s my swimming/ swimsuit routine. I get into my swimsuit at home. My CALS helps. I’m wearing a t shirt and pull-off pants over the swimsuit. I bring a tote bag that contains 2 towels and a pair of underpants. There is an ADA changing room on the pool deck. However, the bench is too low (even with the grab bar) for me to use. I bring my power wheelchair. In the changing room, I can get my shoes and outer clothes off. My assistant puts them in the tote bag.
Then I wheel over to the hydraulic lift chair. I have a gait belt, and my assistant uses it to help me transfer to the hydraulic chair. Once I’m in the pool, the assistant moves my power wheelchair out of the way and turns it off. Then I swim, do ROM exercises, etc.
Meanwhile the assistant takes a large plastic trash bag out of my tote bag, puts it on the seat of the pwc, and places one of the towels over that. When I’m done with being in the water, the assistant moves the pwc back to the hydraulic chair and helps me transfer back to the pwc. The second towel is for drying off. I return to the dressing room and have the option to either go home with the swimsuit still on, or remove the swimsuit, put on the dry undies
and finish dressing. A friend of mine who uses a pwc got our Y to purchase a Hoyer, and he brings his own sling, so this may be an option for me as well when I need it.
I shower at home. It’s an ordeal but it feels so good to be in the water. Besides my CALS, I have two good friends who take turns being my assistant. Our Y can let a care provider accompany people in the pool without having to pay for an additional membership. I’ll keep doing it while I still can.