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Rocky Bay’s Wishing Tree ‘life-changing’
Four-year-old Rocky Bay customer Rhiannon starts each morning asking her...
Ellen
At Rocky Bay, customers like Ellen are experiencing the benefits of hydrotherapy, a specialised form of therapy conducted in water.
Ellen, a motivated individual, engages in two therapy sessions each week at Rocky Bay, which includes one in the hydrotherapy pool.
Rocky Bay’s Physiotherapist, Madeline Fryer, explains the tailored approach taken to maximise Ellen’s abilities.
“Ellen’s therapy is focused on maintaining her ability to stand for transfers,” Madeline said.
“She mobilises using a manual wheelchair but does all her standing transfers without a hoist. The goal of her therapy is to preserve this independence,” Madeline said.
The story continues...
Hydrotherapy, which involves performing exercises in water, offers Ellen unique benefits.
In the pool, she can walk with handhold assistance and even practice balancing without support for short periods, which is not possible on land due to her need for a specialised walker with postural supports.
“In the water, she can do much more because the buoyancy supports her weight and helps with balance,” Madeline said.
“The water’s pressure keeps her upright, allowing her to challenge her balance and strength in ways that aren’t possible out of the water.”
Madeline highlights the flexibility of hydrotherapy.
“We can use the depth of the water to adjust the difficulty. In shallow water, she supports more of her body weight, whereas in deeper water, the buoyancy aids her movements, making it easier to perform exercises,” Madeline said.
How we helped
Bronte Poole, Ellen’s Allied Health Assistant, works closely with her to implement the physiotherapist’s program.
Bronte describes a typical hydrotherapy session.
“Ellen’s support worker helps her transition to a pool wheelchair. Then, we go into the water, and she stands holding onto a rail,” Bronte said.
“She walks along the rail, does squats, step-ups, and even some floating and kicking. The water’s support allows her to perform activities she couldn’t do on land,” Bronte said.
Madeline explains how Ellen loves her therapy sessions.
“She enjoys the social aspect and has built great relationships with her therapists,” Madeline said.
“Exercise is often seen as a chore, but for Ellen, it’s an opportunity to challenge herself and see what she can achieve,” Madeline concluded.
Hydrotherapy at Rocky Bay exemplifies how tailored, water-based exercises can support mobility and strengthen muscles, significantly benefiting individuals with disabilities.
For more information about Hydrotherapy at Rocky Bay, head here.
A few words
Exercise is often seen as a chore, but for Ellen, it’s an opportunity to challenge herself and see what she can achieve
- Madeline
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