She is water shy. He is a former North Bondi Surf Lifesaver. She can't swim the full length of the pool. He received his surf Bronze Medallion in 1959, regularly rescuing straying swimmers from the depths. Mr and Mrs Blackall are at complete opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to swimming.

But one thing they both have in common is their recent participation in the Grey Medallion swimming program. The Australian Royal Life Saving Society launched the initiative last April, in response to a disturbing report that revealed that over 55s account for a third of all drowning deaths in Australia.

Compiled by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s National Injury Surveillance Unit, the report confirmed that although toddlers remain the highest drowning statistic, the second highest category are over 55s, and showed that 100 people aged 55 and over lose their lives each year. A further 75 people over 55 are admitted to hospital in near drowning incidents, with slips or falls accounting for most injuries at pools and beaches.

Until now, not much has been done to curb this surprising statistic. However, the Grey Medallion Program is attempting to turn the tide.

Richard Franklin, National Manager for Research and Health Promotion at Royal Life Saving says the program is the only one of its kind in Australia. “The idea is to teach participants a range of skills from survival techniques to water based competencies” says Franklin. “We know that general exercise is very good for reducing peoples probability of having a fall. Low impact exercises that help build flexibility, balance and endurance.”

Franklin says the program will cover CPR, giving older people the skills and confidence to perform resuscitation. Also covered in the program are swimming strokes, getting into the water safely, lifejacket use, floating and for the more skilled swimmers, stroke correction.

Beginning this month, there will be 20 Grey Medallion Programs running all around Australia catering to those who are afraid of the water, to people that swim every day. Mr and Mrs Blackall participated in the Coffs Harbour pilot program. He brushed up some old tricks, while she learnt some basic water safety skills. “It had been years since I’d done my Bronze Medallion”  Mr Blackall says, “especially CPR.”

“In the old days it was just mouth to mouth, with no pushing on the chest: it’s a big difference.” While he’s feeling confident to administer CPR again, she’s found water safety skills she never previously had.  “She really learned a few things and became quite good at it” Mr Blackall says on her behalf. “The things that they taught her like how to throw a rope, life buoy in a pool, going into the deep part of the pool to rescue someone.”

“Some of the older ladies in the group were a bit hesitant to start with but in the end were quite confident.” Franklin says the course answers the concerns of grandparents. “What we found was that a lot grandparents that were taking on the responsibility of looking after children particularly during school holidays,” he says. “They go to water locations they don’t really know ‘what should I be doing?’ ‘how do I protect these kids?’”

Royal Lifesaving will monitor the success of the program through it’s annual drowning statistics and state branches. And in case you were wondering, the program is somewhat stereotypically named the ‘Grey’ Medallion as a reference to the hair colour of its participants.

Mr Blackall doesn’t seem to mind though. “I think it was great, I really did,” he says of the 3 month, 10 lesson pilot program, “I looked forward to it every week.”

“It was teaching water safety, how to save yourself and how to remember that your not 20 years old anymore!”

Image Courtesy of Emily Laurence