At age 87, Genevieve Shuster wanted to swim. According to her Lifespark Life Care Manager (LCM), a registered nurse, swimming was all she talked about.
Growing up, Genevieve was a tom-boy who led a very active lifestyle. She was athletic and felt that working hard and staying fit were synonymous with being healthy. Physical limits though got in the way of continuing her passions. She had a walker and to her that meant giving up the ability to swim and remain active on her own. Fortunately, her LCM was trained to go beyond traditional home care and spark lives.
Her LCM arranged for Genevieve to visit Life Time Fitness. The moment, she was near the pool Genevieve was determined – she walked the long hallway to the pool herself and even climbed into the pool on her own, without assistance. She was overjoyed by the feelings of the warm water rushing between each arm as she paddled. With her LCM close by, Genevieve felt independent and could relax in the water. The swim satisfied her, that’s really all she wanted. Knowing that she still could swim was enough.
Genevieve knows that she can continue to do what she loves because she has someone on her side who provided the advocacy to help her live the healthiest, most independent life possible. For her, that chance to swim again is all she needed to feel that spark.
