Welcome to WEFTE!

Why WEFTE ?

Because Social Services are in crisis

There’s no need to tell you that social services have impossible demands. Care for the elderly is a major expense for the NHS, Local Government and, if immobile, the elderly themselves. With a rising elderly population, these expenses are expected to increase in the next 10 years.  What’s that to do with water exercises?

A lot

WEFTE maintains independence. When the elderly cannot look after themselves, when they become immobile, they have to sell their homes where they want to be, and to go into care, where they don’t.

If elderly people maintain even modest exercise, they maintain mobility, and their independence longer.  Maybe, if only in a small way, an increase in WEFTE activity could give some relief to this vast problem at very little public expense. The elderly can pay to attend. Pool managers could even make profit if they advertised effectively and had physiotherapists’ recommendations. The resources, the pools, are there. 

So exercise to keep mobile

Swimming and WEFTE are most suitable

Swimming exercises more muscles than any sport. 

WEFTE can be tailor-made

WEFTE is non-impact for fragile bones.  

WEFTE offers friendships and laughter for the lonely.

WEFTE is self-paced.   You can stop whenever you want. When out jogging or in a team you can’t just stop.

Water resistance gently strengthens.   

Water supports you. You don’t need walking sticks

Physiotherapists can offer personal advice. 

Non-swimmer afraid of the water? Learning gives a sense of achievement You can do it. Others will help you.

Your guide to this website

This website aims to provide all of the information you may need to practice WEFTE.

Finding pools near you.

Very naturally you may want to find the pools nearest to where you live. You can find the pools nearest to you using the pool finder tool.

Insert your postcode and the tool will retrieve a list of nearby pools. The first is the nearest to you. You can then click on a pool to find out more information about the pool. The site contains details on:

  • Contact details
  • Accessibility
  • Changing rooms and other facilities
  • Nearby public transport
  • Equipment
  • And many other pieces of useful information
Finding exercises to suit you

You can find descriptions of exercises and video demonstrations on the exercises page.

There are exercises of a General nature and there are others to treat Symptoms in particular parts of the body.

If you have specific symptoms or problems, go to the relevant part of the body. Always be prepared to invent and practise movements you find helpful.  There will be other people in the pool who may help. That helps build trust and camaraderie.

In practice exercises for one part of the body also help other parts.  Your body works as a whole.  So experiment a bit and do what works for you.

Being elderly the performers may not be perfect, but I want you to feel they are feasible and that you can benefit simply by trying. Perfection is not required!

News and Information

There are four kinds of information included here

There is news consisting mostly of cuttings from newspapers

Correspondence mostly with pool managers, but may include communications with AgeUK and pool owners.

Education here is confined to knowledge relevant to WEFTE

Research reports relevant to WEFTE may be more technical than articles in Education.

How can I help?

The honest truth is that, together with classes of children during the day, swimming clubs in the evening and other interest groups, most pool managers have not provided much else. Some do mention provision for the disabled, but the elderly as a major source of business is rare. There has not been a spirit of imagination and creativity for the elderly. 

This is something we have to change, and I ask the elderly and others who read this to arouse managers’ thinking and concern. To ignore the needs of such a large and expanding part of the population is simply unacceptable.  I ask AgeUK to join this campaign and find volunteers willing to spearhead WEFTE in their localities.  I look forward to the day when it is commonplace to see a mini-bus full of elderly people going to enjoy swimming and exercise.

You can find pool contact details using the pool finder tool. Be polite. Praise what is good. But there may be improvements that could be improved. Try to be constructive and practical with your suggestions.

I also want the elderly to contact their Local AgeUK and view its website. To do this, insert your home postcode on the AgeUK facility finder.