RECOPE — A Jewel in the Summerland crown

Another in our “Life in our little town” series.

“So Doug, how do you stay so healthy?” Doug is an eighty-six year-old friend who despite some medical challenges enjoys a comfortable and medically stable life. So I was curious, and asked the question. His answer was both immediate and simple. “I attend Recope three days a week, and that seems to do the trick.”

Recope is another jewel in the Summerland crown. Information published on the website tells the story of this amazing and long-lasting program.

Since 1976 Recope continues to provides safe, affordable, rehabilitative fitness programming and social connections for individuals with health challenges to enhance their health and wellbeing.

At Recope, we provide medically designed and supervised therapeutic exercise programs for adults with medical challenges to help them get moving, feel stronger, experience less pain and reclaim an active and independent  life. This reduces their reliance on other, more expensive, facets of the health system and empowers them to maintain their health through fitness activities.

My wife, Kathie, was the staff Occupational Therapist with Recope when she returned to work following the birth and early years of our two children. She joined a long line of medical professionals to make Recope what it is.

If Kathie was once an animator, at 65 I now find myself a client. My hope is that Recope will help me manage increasing Osteoarthritis which specifically affects my hands and feet—both rather important for musical performance—along with overall body stiffness. So far, so good.

Recope however is not all work. Recope is a great place to make friends that are committed to improving their health too. You’ll become part of a community where members inspire each other to get moving, celebrate gain each other’s improvements, share laughter and look forward to Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings!

Not so much during the fitness sessions—during which we breathlessly pant, both of necessity and to make a good impression on others—but in the change rooms, the sauna, and in the hot tub, conversation can be lively and lovely. Topics range from water temperature, to “what is a weekend?,” to fine wine tours, the severity of global warming, and gold prospecting.

In the sessions (which I find are ten minutes too long—I tend to daydream until the instructor comes over to ensure I am still breathing and understand the exercise process—I also carefully study the mural on the wall, supposedly depicting Okanagan Lake, except there are Orca Whales displayed. What, Orcas? On Okanagan Lake? There are indeed! Who knew?

Whether on a trailer, or leaping along the waterfront of our neighbouring community to the north, Peachland, Orca-fashioned sea mobiles bring delight and offer adventure to locals.  They are rare just like exotic cars and come with an exotic toy price tag. Entry level stock Seabreacher will have you shell out about $110K. However, each one is unique and customized to suit the buyer so your costs could reach as high as $180K.

Personally, I think Recope should get one, though that would require a new pool—and that’s a story for another time.

Meanwhile, I bounce around, like a cork in a bathtub, working on my figure though not on my albino summer tan. A sign on one of the men’s shower stalls declares, “out of order”—and that says it all—that’s why we come to Recope—to deal with our own disordered bodies, to manage what is, while retaining realistic expectation for what might be.

Before our class there is some kind of mums-and-tots program. They get the hot tub before we do. Kids always stare at me thinking that given my white hair and beard that I somehow know Santa—which I do. Anyway looking at my slightly disordered body I tell them: “Hey kid, you will look like this one day.” After an initial look of shock and incredulity, they quickly turn to one side and shout for their mother.

We all need someone to call out to. I give a big shout to those staff and volunteers, over many decades, who provide such a wonderful service to so many. Recope is obviously a lot of work to sustain. I for one, am very grateful. Carry on, carrying on everyone.