By Beverly O’Shea and Kelly Shue
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE
Many people know that swimming improves flexibility and strength, builds endurance, and increases circulation. It’s a sport that offers benefits to a wide variety of people with different physical abilities. But did you know that due to the body’s buoyancy in the water, swimming does not directly impact the bones, making it an ideal way for older adults to get—and stay—in shape?
“It’s simply good for fitness,” says Robert McMurray, Ph.D., FACSM, at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. “It develops muscular endurance, and there is some data out there to suggest that it will reduce risk of cardiovascular disease, too.”
Recognizing the importance of swimming, Erickson communities like Seabrook have heated indoor pools for year-round exercise. Whether exercising alone or in a class setting, all swimmers are monitored and instructed by a team of wellness professionals.
“You’d be surprised to see how many residents are swimming laps here regularly,” Judy Seger, community services manager at Seabrook says.
Logging laps
Ed Braun, whom Seger calls the Million Mile Man, measures his workouts in miles. He says he swims about 600 yards, or 10 miles, in 12 days. “I grew up in Michigan, where everybody swims because there are so many lakes,” Braun says. He went on to join the Army where he served for 30 years. A former resident of Atlantic highlands and Little Silver, Braun has lived at Seabrook for four years.
Ilse Schoder and her husband Armin both swim regularly. When they looked at retirement communities before moving to Seabrook, they considered the benefits of the pool. When they learned they could swim in Seabrook’s glass-enclosed pool year-round, they decided to move there from their house on the north Shore of Long Island.