SWIM WORKS

SPECIAL NEEDS

In the Adaptive Aquatics Program at SWIM WORKS, individuals with disabilities receive specialized one-on-one attention from qualified and compassionate instructors. All of our special needs instructors have experience teaching students with a wide array of disabilities and have been personally trained by SWIM WORKS owner and director Natalie Palmer. Natalie, a certified Special Olympics coach, has over a decade of experience developing and teaching Adaptive Aquatics programs for children and adults with special needs.

SWIM WORKS Adaptive Aquatics is based on the belief that everyone should have the opportunity to learn to swim. Our main goals are to teach students water safety skills, proper swimming technique, and lifetime health and fitness habits. Swimming provides many additional benefits to those with disabilities. The buoyancy of water effectively reduces the body's weight, relieving joints from the pressure experienced on land. At the same time, the viscosity of water provides increased resistance without the usual risk of impact-related injury. This results in great freedom of movement, a heightened sense of independence, and an ideal exercise environment for those with limited mobility. Additionally, the hydrostatic pressure experienced in our warm-water pool typically has a comforting effect on our students, creating an ideal environment for learning social skills as they swim.