A unique rehabilitation program for military veterans, including diving, is being actively implemented in Brovary, Kyiv region. The pool, where athletes of the Ukrainian Olympic team usually train, is now also used for training for defenders in need of physical and psycho-emotional support, UNN reports.
Classes include equipment checks, special instruction and practical exercises. For participants with special needs, the wetsuits have been modified to maximize the training to their needs.
"Diving has a beneficial effect on both the physiological and, most importantly, the psycho-emotional state. This can be seen in the expressions on people's faces and how they feel it," said Serhiy Seliverstov, Director General of the Ukrainian Institute of Underwater Research, in an exclusive commentary to UNN.
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According to him, the program is the result of cooperation with local authorities and currently involves veterans not only from the Brovary territorial community, but also from other communities in the Kyiv region. They have the opportunity to train for free thanks to the support of the Brovary community. Sergiy Seliverstov noted that similar practices have been successfully implemented in Europe and the United States for over 50 years.
For the veterans participating in the program, it is not only a way of physical rehabilitation, but also an opportunity to overcome stress and experience new emotions.
"I feel comfortable in general... I feel even more comfortable underwater because there is zero gravity. I plan to practice until I conquer the Mariana Trench," jokes Anatoliy, one of the program participants, a veteran.
In addition to standard diving, the training includes special motor skills exercises, including underwater basketball, which helps improve coordination.
The organizers hope that the number of such rehabilitation programs will grow and urge Ukrainians to support the defenders in their adaptation to peaceful life.
Recall
Earlier, UNN reported that the city authorities of Brovary have prepared a program for the next 4 years to improve accessibility and comfortable movement of people with disabilities. In particular, the Brovary community plans to equip special lifts for people with disabilities in apartment buildings. According to Mayor Ihor Sapozhko, this option is optimal for the community's old apartment buildings.
Olena Akopian, an advisor to the mayor of Brovary, told UNN that all public institutions in Brovary are accessible to people with disabilities. All major shopping centers are equipped with ramps, elevators, and hygiene rooms for people with disabilities. Various commercial establishments and organizations have begun to seek consultations more often to properly equip or redesign their entrances to make them accessible to people with disabilities.