Snuba & elderly/disabled

[JustGrandma]

Hello there I just joined. I have an aunt who is 78 years old and she has an extensive diving history however it has been over 20 years ago. This woman is amazing I've seen her walk up and down damp grassy hills playing with goats, she still works full time believe it or not at Walmart and that was after a 30-year career with this phone company.
She's amazing for someone who's 78 years old and has had a prior stroke and is a little gimpy in her walk. But that doesn't stop my aunt. I think it would be amazing to take her to Hawaii to snuba. Years ago her doctor said she could not scuba anymore but he suggested snuba.

I just think it would be an amazing bucket list thing to take her and would love to see if there's any very experienced people out here that can give me some input if it's realistic or not. Plus the fact that I'm in my early 60s and have never done any such thing I haven't even gone snorkeling. Looking forward to and very thankful to anybody that can share their wisdom and experience.

 

[lowwall]

Hello there I just joined. I have an aunt who is 78 years old and she has an extensive diving history however it has been over 20 years ago. This woman is amazing I've seen her walk up and down damp grassy hills playing with goats, she still works full time believe it or not at Walmart and that was after a 30-year career with this phone company.
She's amazing for someone who's 78 years old and has had a prior stroke and is a little gimpy in her walk. But that doesn't stop my aunt. I think it would be amazing to take her to Hawaii to snuba. Years ago her doctor said she could not scuba anymore but he suggested snuba.

I just think it would be an amazing bucket list thing to take her and would love to see if there's any very experienced people out here that can give me some input if it's realistic or not. Plus the fact that I'm in my early 60s and have never done any such thing I haven't even gone snorkeling. Looking forward to and very thankful to anybody that can share their wisdom and experience.

She'll be fine as far as handling the dive. But why did her doctor tell her not to scuba dive? Snuba and scuba to the same depth are physiologically the same thing.

I'm also concerned about you. Are you comfortable swimming around underwater in a pool?

 

[JustGrandma]

She'll be fine as far as handling the dive. But why did her doctor tell her not to scuba dive? Snuba and scuba to the same depth are physiologically the same thing.

I'm also concerned about you. Are you comfortable swimming around underwater in a pool?

I'm comfortable swimming underwater in a pool that's not a big deal it's just I haven't done it in a while I'm older and out of shape but I can work on that. I don't know why her doctor told her no more scuba diving after the stroke. But told her that snuba would be okay. Maybe with her sense of balance since the stroke and it's easier not to have the tanks on her back I'm not sure

 

[wlecyt40]

I'm comfortable swimming underwater in a pool that's not a big deal it's just I haven't done it in a while I'm older and out of shape but I can work on that. I don't know why her doctor told her no more scuba diving after the stroke. But told her that snuba would be okay. Maybe with her sense of balance since the stroke and it's easier not to have the tanks on her back I'm not sure

Not sure why a doctor would tell you no to scuba but ok to snuba. Like was said in a previous posting, they are physiologically the same. Divemasters help people in and out of the water with disabilities all the time. We have a woman in our group that can't carry her gear because of kidney replacement and preceding dialysis, but he told her she could still dive until she went on the transplant list. The balance issues will be mitigated by the crew. My concern might be, while down, the current or surge. Depending on strength, it could be disorientating but, again, that is where the crew comes in.

Tell her to get another opinion and from one that is a diver or understands dive physiology.

 

[KenE]

I would highly suggest you work with your chosen Snuba provider. Liability is a major concern for them, if you wait till you get there you may be disappointed. Starting earlier helps get the medical information to make the provider more comfortable with approving the activity. The only reason I can see why the original doctor suggested giving up scuba is due to managing gear in and out of the water. It may have been at a time where adaptive scuba was not even possible. Today, adaptive scuba is more available and she may be able to participate again. A bit of research is needed, I would suggest staying with warm water, cold water adds complications that may be outside of her reach at this point. Good luck and I wish you both the very best!

 

[wlecyt40]

I would highly suggest you work with your chosen Snuba provider. Liability is a major concern for them, if you wait till you get there you may be disappointed. Starting earlier helps get the medical information to make the provider more comfortable with approving the activity. The only reason I can see why the original doctor suggested giving up scuba is due to managing gear in and out of the water. It may have been at a time where adaptive scuba was not even possible. Today, adaptive scuba is more available and she may be able to participate again. A bit of research is needed, I would suggest staying with warm water, cold water adds complications that may be outside of her reach at this point. Good luck and I wish you both the very best!

Totally agree with you!!!

 

[Waterwulf]

Her Doctor probably told her that, due to the depths involved. SCUBA goes a lot deeper than SNUBA. A lot of medical people get their diving information from seminars, classes, articles, etc. and don't know the proper terminology. Things like decomp times, bottom times, residual nitrogen, Nitrox versus canned air, etc., etc., etc. are beyond their area of expertise. Plus, it's not even required for their medical decisions.

So the seminars, classes, articles teach an abbreviated version of "keep it limited to one positive atmosphere, two total. This is due to the affects of pressure on the human body. A person of advanced age or with prior medical issues should not be exposed to more than one additional atmospheric pressure increase above sea level standard pressures. The stress on the heart and related organs may exceed safe levels and may cause injury or death".

That abbreviated version is "SNUBA is ok but SCUBA is not". That's a lot simpler and easier to teach since most of the time, sport SNUBA is limited to shallow depths.

 

[Scubagolf]

So the seminars, classes, articles teach an abbreviated version of "keep it limited to one positive atmosphere, two total. This is due to the affects of pressure on the human body. A person of advanced age or with prior medical issues should not be exposed to more than one additional atmospheric pressure increase above sea level standard pressures. The stress on the heart and related organs may exceed safe levels and may cause injury or death".

Source for this quote? I’m curious what “advanced age” is defined as, and what the “medical issues” might be. This indicates diving limited to no deeper than 33 FSW.

 

[Waterwulf]

Source for this quote? I’m curious what “advanced age” is defined as, and what the “medical issues” might be. This indicates diving limited to no deeper than 33 FSW.

Medical Issues can be everything from sinus problems to heart problems and everything in between, including colds, flu, allergies, e6tc. Anything that stresses your body. Yes, that limits diving to 33 foot. No, there's nothing special about that depth except it adds one atmosphere pressure to your body.

There is no quote to quote. My comments were a synopsis of what my Cardiologist told me when I asked him about it. I had a heart attack when I was in my fifties. I had a Stent implanted or installed or bolted in or whatever it's called. All was fine then but when I hit my later sixties, he told me that he was going to repossess my Stent if I went deeper than one extra atmosphere. I said ok 33 feet and he said Huh? He explained to me that he doesn't know anything about diving except what he's taught in medical classes. Extra pressure puts extra stress on the human body. That can cause problems if you're already half dead from something else.

 

[Scubagolf]

See this article on returning to diving after heart surgery.

Tests and Limitations for Diving after Heart Surgery | Heart Disease & Diving Chapter 5

Are there any restrictions on scuba diving after having heart surgery? Do you have to tell the dive shop about your heart medications? Find your answers.

www.scubadiving.com