Residents of Belong Village Make a Splash at Dementia-Friendly Swimming Sessions

Residents of specialist care village, Belong Crewe, have been making waves at dementia-friendly swimming sessions, which have been designed to enhance participants’ mobility, appetite and general wellbeing.

Swimming has been proven to hold many benefits for people with dementia, including reducing anxiety and falls, increasing flexibility and improving sleeping patterns.

The swimming sessions are specifically tailored to older people with dementia and Belong colleagues are on hand to support participants and help them to gradually build up their strength and skills in a safe and controlled environment.

Belong Crewe resident, Ray Knott, who attends the swimming sessions, commented: “I find swimming very relaxing and I feel great afterwards and get a better night’s sleep. I am usually restricted to a wheelchair, but in the water I feel a sense of freedom with my limbs. I can also swim more than I thought I would be able to.”

Belong’s home care service, Belong At Home, recently rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission, has also provided some one-to-one support to enable customers to attend.

Belong Crewe experience coordinator, Sharon Bull, added: “Residents are having a wonderful time at the dementia-friendly swimming sessions. It is often believed that dementia can prevent people from taking part in activities that they used to enjoy, so it is wonderful to see residents having such a great time taking up swimming again.

“We have certainly seen participants’ overall wellbeing and agility increase as a result of the sessions and we look forward to introducing more residents to the idea.”