21 hours ago
'A long day coming': Canberra's new hydrotherapy pool ready to open in Tuggeranong after five-year wait
Osteoarthritis and psoriatic arthritis leave Patricia Clark in pain "24-hours a day, every day".
The 74-year-old lives by herself and is dependent on a walker to get around.
"I've got pain in my lower back and it's causing weakness in my legs, so it's hard to stay upright," she said.
"I have trouble standing at the sink to prepare meals or to do anything standing up is difficult."
One of her main sources of pain relief is hydrotherapy — so she is relieved that, after a five-year wait, a new hydrotherapy pool has finally been finished in Canberra's south.
"The warmth of the water immediately relaxes your body as soon as you go in, you feel this immediate freedom," she said.
"Plus the water supports your body ... to be able to walk without a walker.
The $8.5 million facility, at the Lakeside Leisure Centre in Greenway, was a 2020 ACT government election promise to replace the Canberra Hospital hydrotherapy pool that closed the same year.
Ms Clark was among the pool users who fought to stop the closure of the Canberra Hospital pool, and has since had to use a "cold" learn-to-swim pool for her therapy.
"As the years have gone on I've lost patience ... thinking it would never happen," she said.
While the pool's opening is a welcome milestone to reach, Ms Clark said she is still "a bit apprehensive" about the availability of sessions in the pool.
"We don't know how much opportunity we will have to use it," she said.
It's a concern shared by Arthritis ACT, which has been running up to 50 hydrotherapy sessions at the University of Canberra Hospital pool each week.
With each session only able to take 12 people, all of their sessions have been full.
"To be honest, it's been a long day coming. There's just so many more people [in need]," Arthritis ACT exercise physiologist Sophie Bullock said.
Tuggeranong Community Council president Glenys Patulny suspects the new pool will be "heavily in demand".
"There are about 90,000 people in Tuggeranong and this will actually service a lot of Woden and Weston Creek as well," she said.
While the new pool is designed to "complement" the University of Canberra Hospital's hydrotherapy pool, Ms Bullock said there were still very few accessible and affordable pools in Canberra.
"Managing a chronic condition is not a cheap thing to do and with a lot of private pools … you may not have $25 per [session]," she said.
"When you're living on a pension is very hard to try and manage."
Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith acknowledged the "continuing demand for hydrotherapy across our community".
"We will continue listening to the community's feedback about the need for more services," she said.
The new Tuggeranong hydrotherapy pool features underfloor heating and a water temperature of 33 to 34 degrees Celsius, and is designed to support people with chronic conditions such as arthritis and cancer, and people recovering from injury.
"Most people with chronic pain now understand that you can't just keep popping a pill, there is no golden pill to get rid of chronic pain," Arthritis ACT CEO Rebecca Davey said.
Ms Davey said hydrotherapy pools could "almost trick the central nervous system" and bring relief for those suffering chronic pain and movement conditions.
"So that when you're in water that's about 34 degrees warm, it tells your brain that the pain is not so bad and then people are able to get along," she said.
"Not only are they exercising and building their bodies up again, but they're also getting pain relief and that pain relief can last up to 48 hours after a session.
The new Tuggeranong hydrotherapy pool is due to open to the public on August 25.
