Swimming Buddies

[Mumble]

Does anyone know of any contact list or website or similar where I can find/advertise for a 'swimming buddy' (as a paid job). They have a fantastic scheme I've found in Australia to match people up, but that's a little too far away for me and I can't find anything in this country.

 

What I want is someone who could accompany me swimming once or maybe twice a week at a regular time and who would be confident enough to help me out if the need arose. I'm not allowed to go swimming by myself because I could be a danger to myself but I love swimming and it's something I really miss. I was thinking that if I could get a swim buddy I could use my DLA to pay for it - although I don't know how much it would cost?

 

[baddad]

Hi Mumble -

 

dunno what that means, exactly... if you needed a trained professional / life saver or something like that and/or with experience of autism and (maybe from what you were saying?) restraint techniques etc I haven't a clue, but guess a good place to start asking would be SS or any local service who lists support organisations? If it's more just a 'practical' thing of someone going with you, you could try a befriending scheme or something like that? The NAS used to be very good for listing organisations like that at county/local levels, but I don't know if they still are?

 

Hope that's helpful

 

L&P

 

BD

[Mumble]

Ah, yes, I didn't word that very well, did I?

 

No, it's less to do with Autism (although that comes into it in terms of recognising - or not - what my body's saying and knowing when to stop) and more to do with other medical issues - I have seizures so need someone with me and a most terrible habit of not breathing which is most inconvenient when trying to swim Though something is unlikely to happen, I need to have someone with me in case it does. My sister has come with me sometimes but I don't like feeling a burden on her and I know she worries about me and so can't enjoy herself. The ASD just makes things a bit harder in terms of communicating my needs, hence I'd rather have someone who at least had a vague understanding in this area.

 

Does that make more sense?

 

[baddad]

Ah, yes, I didn't word that very well, did I?

 

No, it's less to do with Autism (although that comes into it in terms of recognising - or not - what my body's saying and knowing when to stop) and more to do with other medical issues - I have seizures so need someone with me and a most terrible habit of not breathing which is most inconvenient when trying to swim Though something is unlikely to happen, I need to have someone with me in case it does. My sister has come with me sometimes but I don't like feeling a burden on her and I know she worries about me and so can't enjoy herself. The ASD just makes things a bit harder in terms of communicating my needs, hence I'd rather have someone who at least had a vague understanding in this area.

 

Does that make more sense?

 

Yep ! go for option 2 then - a befriending scheme or something. What you really need is a 'volunteer' who wants to go swimming but who also has some first aid background and/or some experience of autism. Doesn't sound completely unlikely. maybe if you have/contact a local support group you might find someone else whose already going swimming or who takes their kids swinmming who'd be willing to let you 'tag along'? Def worth a shout. Maybe you could ask at the pool too - not the front desk girls, god forbid, but they've probably got someone there who works with disabled clients when they come to the gym and stuff, and they may know someone who knows someone...

 

L&P

 

Bd

[justine1]

If I lived closer to you I could go with you I have swimming tropheys/certificates and life saving training.My brother has seizures so know about that and I know a little about ASD as from Dec when Sam got his dx.What a shame

do hope you find someone,swimmin is great

[Tally]

Paying someone entails a lot of legal issues you may not have considered when you become an employer. If you pay someone, doing it through Direct Payments might be a better way to go. There are organisations that will do all the legal/official work for you, and their fees can be included as part of your direct payments. Or seeking a volunteer could well be a sensible option instead. If you are at risk of seizing in the pool though, you probably need someone 1:1 to swim with you, rather than "tagging along" with someone who wants to go for their own enjoyment or with their children.

 

Alternatively, you could look into whether your swimming pool offers any kind of special rates for people with disabilities, so it might work out easier for you to afford to pay for your sister so it doesn't feel so much like her own swim is spoilt.

[baranigirl]

I would contact your local sports centre and see what they can offer, you may find they have schemes in place to help people like yourself? What about signing up for a 1-1 swimming lesson, explain you don't really want to be taught, but have needs etc. I know our pool would more than likely be happy to sort that out as it is another customer through the door.

 

Someone like myself would be happy to accompany you, I guess as long as someone gets their expenses paid there are no legal issues (entry and travel) come to my pool cos I can swim for free there

 

Seems I have repeated a lot of Tally's ideas

 

Also ask at your pool whether they are happy for you to swim under the supervision of the trained lifeguards just as it is, that could be an option for you especially if you go in quieter periods

Edited April 29, 2010 by baranigirl

[Mumble]

Thanks all - lots to think about. I hadn't considered the legal implications but I can see now that that is important.

 

What is direct payments? It does need to be someone 1-1 so a tag-along thingy unfortunately wouldn't work.

 

My local swimming pool (and the next nearest one - how's that for planning? ) is closed at the moment so I was looking for someone to go elsewhere with, but once mine is open again, I'll ask if/how they can help. That's a great idea.

 

[Tally]

Direct Payments comes from Social Services and can be used to arrange your own support if you don't want to use Social Services directly. There is a big move toward this now. I really know very little about how to apply for it, but I know that you need to apply to Social Services for some kind of assessment. It helps if you can tell them exactly what kind of support you need and how much it would cost, as they don't have to do any research, just go off and make the decision.

 

There are companies which offer preferential rates to people receivng Direct Payments to do the paperwork side of things like payroll, PAYE, etc. You would also need employers liability insurance. Then you would need to advertise and interview for the position. All of these costs can be part of a claim for Direct Payments.

 

And that is pretty much the sum of my knowledge on Direct Payments.

[Stella63]

Hi Mumble

 

Whereabouts are you able to get to?

 

I am a qualified swimming teacher and life saver and have experience of living and working with AS and all sorts of medical issues. I am not currently teaching or swimming at the moment but could be tempted into a new adventure!!! I work part time in a school so am reasonably flexible.

 

I live just outside Woking, good train service and roads heading towards London so could travel towards you. PM me if you think its a possibility.

 

Stella xx

[Mumble]

Woohoo :clap: Found a pool not too far away, had a chat with them, and they were okay with me swimming there. Not only that, they've extended their over 60s swim free scheme to the disabled too, so they've given me a free membership card and I can go whenever I like.

 

I was a little confused as to why they said it was okay when another pool turned me away as they couldn't take the responsibility () - but I found out when I went there today; I was the only one in the pool with 6 lifeguards looking like they were pleased to have a job to do and someone to watch and wandering about with poles and nets (I'm guessing some were going to try and prod me under the water whilst the others were going to practise their fishing skills!! ). It was a freezing outdoor unheated pool which is why I guess no-one was there, but I really enjoyed it anyway.

 

Bbbbrrrrrrr - going to have some hot choccy now to warm up.

 

[Tally]

Great news

[baddad]

Glad you had a good splash! Hot chocolate after swimming? No No No... it should be hot blackcurrant and one of those minipaks with two fig rolls in... or if you've only got 4d instead of 6d a packet of horlicks tablets!

 

L&P

 

BD

[Mumble]

Glad you had a good splash! Hot chocolate after swimming? No No No... it should be hot blackcurrant and one of those minipaks with two fig rolls in... or if you've only got 4d instead of 6d a packet of horlicks tablets!

I have no idea what horlicks tablets are, but mmm, fig rolls, haven't had them in years

 

4d? 6d? I haven't even got a 3d tv yet.

 

[baddad]

I have no idea what horlicks tablets are

 

 

Horlicks tablets were sweets that you got in a 'tube' like mints or love-hearts but were actually just little solid 'cakes' of horlicks powder. They only sold them at the swimming baths or in chemists, for some reason(?) I dug this out to prove I didn't make them up after all the accusations i got over 'Pingwings' on telly...

 

horlicks tablets

 

While there, they also list the rowntrees 'Nutty' bar which was the best sweet EVER.

 

[Kathryn]

I was the only one in the pool with 6 lifeguards

 

Some people have all the luck! The rest of us can only fantasise about that kind of situation...

 

K x

 

 

[Mumble]

Some people have all the luck! The rest of us can only fantasise about that kind of situation...

5 were female and the one male was, erm, not very pretty.

[oxgirl]

While there, they also list the rowntrees 'Nutty' bar which was the best sweet EVER.

 

Oooooooooooo, I used to looooooooooooove those Nutty bars, really, really chewy. What were those coconutty, cherry, sort of carmel bars called?? Size and shape of a Boost but with cherries.

 

~ Mel ~

[bettyhen]

Try your local Barnardos as they may know someone useful. My son is taken swimming as part of their ASD scheme by a chap whose day job is working with adults with learning difficulties. He is absolutely brilliant with F. I imagine they have similar schemes across the country and so they may know of people who have the appropriate skills set to deal with you as well as children.

[baddad]

Oooooooooooo, I used to looooooooooooove those Nutty bars, really, really chewy. What were those coconutty, cherry, sort of carmel bars called?? Size and shape of a Boost but with cherries.

 

~ Mel ~

 

??? Don't remember that one! Cherrymel? Another one that was quite nice but disappeared was an 'Aztec' bar, and there was one I think was called an 'Amazin'' bar - though that might just be the ad, 'cos it was a pearly King/Queen Mockney knees up muvver brahn, mind me cockles and whelks dance routine and they sang 'it's amazin' what raisins can do, full of goodness and it's all for you...' Thinking back there were loads of chocolate bars that pretended to be good for you - dairy milk with a full glass and a half, Mars which helped you work rest and play, Milky Bars made you strong and tough (haha - weedy little four-eyes would have lasted about five minutes in my primary school!) and then there was the ill-fated chocolate coated mackeral on a stick (full of omega threes, essential vitamins and minerals, and they even left the eyes in so it would see you through the week)... Nobody else remember that one? I am surprised!

 

L&P

 

BD

Edited June 12, 2010 by baddad

[Mumble]

Mumble wasn't alone in the pool today. The male triathlon club were training. In skin-tight wet-suits. :wub: Must remember that Wednesday afternoon is the afternoon to go viewing swimming!

 

[Stella63]

Mumble,

 

That is shocking that you were surrounded by lots of men in skin tight wet suits - it must have been really scary for you and all the more reason to have a swimming buddy with you - did you say a Wednesday afternoon? And........which pool was that?????

 

Seriously, I'm glad you have found somewhere to swim and if you want any lessons on stroke technique (and that is not a rude joke about the men in skin tight wet suits!!!) let me know - I love teaching adults!!

 

Stella xx