In September of 2021, team members at Grant Regional Health Center dipped their toes in the water with a simple plan to utilize a highly skilled instructor to begin aquatic exercise classes at the brand-new pool at the Sleep Inn & Suites in Lancaster, WI. When the Wisconsin Office of Rural Health had the opportunity to provide funds for programs addressing obesity, the group decided to take the chance and go for it. The program started with one class offering, and before the first day of the program, grew to two full classes. By early 2022 the class had grown to five, full, bi-weekly classes—with a waitlist of eager participants.
Participants have found the program affordable and fun—but above all they have shown outstanding improvements in their health. This low-impact exercise option provides benefits that are far more difficult to achieve in traditional exercise activities. Aside from weight loss, increased range of motion, and reduced chronic pain, participants keep coming back for the friendships and comradery they have become accustomed to. The class helps participants overcome another major obstacle we face in the Midwest—the class is not dependent on weather due to the use of the indoor pool and classes are able to continue year-round. The nature of this class is inclusive to various levels of literacy and initial physical fitness level. Throughout the early months of Aqua Fitness, Grant Regional was conducting their Community Health Needs Assessment. When complete, the results further confirmed that this class met many of the unmet needs and potential needs for improvement in the community.
We continue to document and measure our progress through a survey process in which we asked a number of our participants several questions related to the aquatic fitness program. The most recent initial survey yielded the following results from participants who responded:
- 70% reported increased strength
- 80% reported increased Endurance
- 80% reported improved Balance
- 94% improved range of mobility
- 80% Reported benefit of socialization and relationships built with other participants
- 100% reported Aquatic Fitness was easier on their joints than other exercise activities they did
Grant Regional Health Center plans to continue the program as long as there is interest and recently received the Community Engagement Award through Quarles & Brandy, LLP and Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative to help fund the program moving forward.