94-year-old wheelchair user among those buoyed by Enabling Village's inclusive pool

First fully inclusive private indoor swim school for those with disabilities opens

- Shermaine Ang

Madam Peggy Tan being supported by Ms Ananthy Murugan, while her daughter Deborah Tan holds onto her feet during an adaptive physical disability class at the Enabling Village on Oct 2. There, the former avid swimmer stretches and moves her body to help with her mobility, buoyed by the water.

(ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI)

Physiotherapists had given up on Madam Peggy Tan, not knowing how to handle her advanced Alzheimer's disease.

The 94-year-old, who relies on a wheelchair, has osteoporosis, which causes bone tissue to deteriorate and raises fracture risk.

But two months ago, she entered a swimming pool at the Enabling Village for the first time in years to join an adaptive physical disability class.

There, she stretches and moves her body to help with her mobility, buoyed by the water.

In April, Singapore's first fully inclusive private indoor swim school for persons with disabilities opened at the Enabling Village in Redhill.

The pool is run by swim school Little Splashes Aquatics, which has pools in seven locations island-wide.

The school caters mainly to babies and children, but also offers free adaptive swimming classes for children and adults with special needs and physical disabilities.

Mr Edward Chew, senior director at SG Enable's employment and lifelong learning group, said SG Enable had called a request for proposals in November 2023 with a three-year lease, as part of a refresh of the Enabling Village's tenant mix.

Little Splashes was chosen for its proposal to develop a first-of-its-kind accessible swimming pool in Singapore for persons with disabilities and seniors, he said.

While ActiveSG has accessible public pools, this is the first fully inclusive private indoor swim school for those with disabilities.