The hiatus has given rise to the opportunity to rationalise the advisability of its continued operation. I am writing to express my concern at how easily a community can lose a vital link in its health services.

The hydrotherapy pool at Albury Hospital is an important element in the well being of a wide range of people in this region. The resistance provided by movement in water is irreplaceable in terms of muscle repair and strengthening.

A reduction in muscle function has a multiplicity of causes including congenital disability, accidental injury, surgery and age related degeneration and all of these are present in our community.

The therapy conducted in the pool by a range of professional and trained volunteer personnel, reduces the need for the very expensive alternative of providing intensive ongoing physical support in hospital and in the community at large.

The need for this costly support can often arise as a result of inadequate rehabilitation after accidents and surgery, and in later years fractures as a result of falls experienced by the elderly who have been unable to access appropriately guided levels of exercise. The pool is utilised on 1200 occasions every month. On each occasion Albury Wodonga Health is in receipt of $6 in order to help defray expenses.

I am a pensioner and due to the ‘temporary’ closure of the hydrotherapy pool have foregone my ‘Joints and Muscles’ group therapy sessions for six weeks.

Within two weeks of ceasing participation I experienced reduced capacity and confidence to navigate steps, stand from a seated position and carry my own shopping. My ability in these activities has continued to decline.

As the proportion of elderly people increases across Australia and in our region, a cost benefit analysis will surely reveal how invaluable the hydrotherapy pool is to the continued well being of our community.

RELATED:

Thank you Border Mail, Julie Ridley, John McFarlane and Carmel Star, for bringing to our attention the closure of the hydrotherapy pool by Albury Wodonga Health.

I became aware last week of the closure when speaking with a friend who relied on the pool for therapy. She is devastated. It was her lifeline to deal with chronic pain. I felt disappointed for her and thought I should do something about this, but I didn't - however you people did.

Thank you. What I can now do is lend my support to you. Let's not be fooled, this government has plenty of our money, they just have to re-allocate some of that grant money they have splashed around to build cafes, board walks, floating piers and other beautification works along the Murray River, that can wait a while.

I ask all local residents to approach your local member to rectify this immediately. These people cannot wait.