BY HILLARY VIDERS
SPECIAL TO NORTHERN VALLEY PRESS
TENAFLY, N.J.—Every Wednesday, from September to May, a group of up to 18 people enter the swimming pool at the Kaplen Jewish Community Center on the Palisades in Tenafly, where they have a great time swimming, exercising, walking and talking.
When they emerge from the water, they are assisted back into their wheelchairs by a group of volunteers. This is the scenario for “Swim-In,” a unique aquatic therapy program for people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
The “Swim In” program, which began in 1976, is a collaborative effort between the National Council of Jewish Women Bergen County Section (NCJW BCS) and the MS Society NJ Metro Chapter. It is the only water-therapy program in the United States run by volunteers and free to participants. The MS Society provides financial and administrative assistance and the NCJW BCS supports the “Swim In” program and supplies dozens of volunteers that work with the program participants.
Since 1923, the National Council of Jewish Women has been a grassroots organization of 90,000 volunteers and advocates who have turned progressive ideals into action in 500 communities across the U.S. Inspired by Jewish values, NCJW strives for social justice by improving the quality of life for women, children, and families in the U.S. and Israel. Partnering with 19 non-sectarian Bergen County community service organizations, NCJW BCS reaches out to all members of the community with innovative programs and scholarships that provide education, food, companionship, information and financial support.
The “Swim In” program was founded in 1976 by Ruth Cowan, a licensed physical therapist and past president of NCJW BCS. Cowan was determined that it would adhere to the highest professional standards.
“Individuals with MS can do many things in the water, thanks to the buoyancy it provides, that are impossible to do out of the water,” said Cowan. “The exercise makes them stronger and provides a feeling of elation that can last for hours.”
An important part of the “Swim In” program held at the Kaplen JCC is its volunteers, all of whom undergo several training sessions throughout the year. The volunteers are responsible for bringing the members in wheelchairs through all stages of the two-hour program that begins with a welcome orientation in the gym and then proceeds to the swimming pool. Each volunteer is assigned a role, such as taking a swimmer in a wheelchair from the gym to and from the locker room to the pool area, helping swimmers dress and undress, and/or assisting in the water.
Each pool session is overseen by Ava Silverstein, a licensed physical therapist who has been directing the program since Cowan retired a number of years ago.
In order to participate in the “Swim In” program, each swimmer must have approval by his/her physician and by a licensed physical therapist. In the pool, swimmers are fitted with buoyancy belts and they can walk in the water, swim and exercise with a volunteer. In addition, they interact with other persons with MS, form friendships and have a thoroughly enjoyable time on Wednesday afternoons and at other gatherings throughout the year, including an annual spring luncheon and summer pizza party.”
Everyone involved in the “Swim In” program agrees that it is remarkable.
Elizabeth Haverstam, co-president of the NCJW BCS, said, “This program helps people with MS in many ways. It builds self-confidence and gives them a sense of independence that they would not have otherwise.”
NCJW BCS “Swim-In” program co-chairs Ina Miller-Silverstein and Roxanne Reff said, “There is no question that both the social and exercise aspects of this special community service are rewarding on multiple levels to swimmers and volunteers alike. “The loving, caring bond that is formed between a participant and his or her volunteer ‘buddy’ and the rest of the group is a very important factor in the success of the program.”
Looking around at the group during a recent session, Silverstein observed, “So, many people come back every year. We’re like a family here!”
Nina Saslowsky, a 36-year volunteer said, “It’s the highlight of my week! I am overwhelmed by all the thank yous that I get.”
The participants, who range in age from early 30s to over-50, are also delighted with “Swim In.”
“It’s so much fun!” declared one woman.
“The volunteers couldn’t be nicer!” said her friend.
A senior gentleman in the group laughed, “When I first came here, I couldn’t believe that I could walk in the water. Now, I feel so great, I feel like I can walk on water.”
For more information and volunteer opportunities for the “Swim IN” program or to arrange a visit to a Wednesday program, call Michael Silverstein at 201-692-1334 or email Leta Arad at leta_arad@hotmail,com. (Please note there is an underscore in this email address between ‘leta’ and ‘arad’.)