By Tyler Wright
Cockatoo locals are calling for a public hydrotherapy pool to be built in their town to assist with rehabilitation for an aging population.
Chris Thompson, who has been involved in township committees and the Cockatoo RSL, started the petition through ‘Petitions.net’ and said the closest hydrotherapy pool used by those in the area is located at Boronia’s Knox Leisureworks, roughly a 40 minute drive away.
“It’s a real stretch, because most of the time if you’re not well or you’re on medication you’ve got to get someone to take you, and I stopped using it because I had trouble driving there on my own and back,” Chris said.
“[The petition] was an idea out of frustration, because going to Boronia two or three times a week, if I can’t get there, is a real pain…
“It’s something that can be easily incorporated into smaller sections of the community and reach quite a wide variety of people; from children to mother’s birth classes; right up to the rehab side of things and disability support – they don’t have to be huge complexes.”
The resident is proposing the pool, which would sit at an average temperature of 33-36 degrees and filtered differently to a standard public pool, be incorporated into Cardinia Shire Council’s Alma Treloar Reserve and replace the current scout hall.
Rob Butterworth is 70 years old and uses hydrotherapy treatment to give him “more mobility and freedom”. He used to use Boronia’s hydrotherapy pool which has now become “out of reach,” and said the heated pool at Pakenham’s Cardinia Life recreation centre does not give him the “same result” as a purpose-build rehabilitation service.
“[Health professionals] all recommend to get as much hydrotherapy into you as you can…I’ve got artificial joints and they need work, and if you ‘don’t use it you’ll lose it,” Rob said.
“Rather than pack up the health system that’s under all sorts of pressure…I’d rather do it naturally, have some fun and meet new people,” the Cockatoo local said.
A Cardinia Shire Council spokesperson told the Star Mail there are “no plans at this stage” to build a hydrotherapy pool in Cockatoo and a petition had not yet been presented to local government.
“Cardinia Life in Pakenham has a warm water pool with a temperature that sits between 32-34 degrees. This pool is much hotter than a standard swimming pool which sits at an average 28 degrees. A typical hydrotherapy pool will usually be between 33-36 degrees, therefore users of the warm water pool at Cardinia Life may achieve the same benefits in comparison to a hydrotherapy pool,” the spokesperson said.
“Council is committed to continuing to work with our aging community towards the shared goal of better overall health.”
