Stoked about surfing

John Newport has seawater in his veins.

He’s always lived on the coast and for years he even made a living as a surf instructor.

Over the years he’s done some wild water activities, including windsurfing all the way from Cape Jervis to Kangaroo Island, swimming, running, walking, bike riding and surfing all along the South Australian coast and spending infinite hours in the ocean.

But recently John’s Home Care team created an unforgettable experience for him at Middleton Beach.

The local surf school was enlisted to provide two coaches to help John get into the water and back on a surfboard for the first time in years.

Of course, getting in and out of the wetsuit was a struggle too, but John was absolutely beaming the entire time.

“It was awesome, just awesome,” John said.

“To be able to get back in the water is very good.”

Not only did John manage to lie on the board to catch a wave, he also pulled himself up to kneel on the board and paddle confidently with the wave in to shore.

Spectators remarked that it looked like John had never stopped surfing in the first place - the movements came back to him so naturally.

John receives Home Care services because he has some health and age-related conditions that affect his ability to live at home.

His services include social support weekly for two hours and delivery of some products to support his independence.

Home Care Assistant Meredith Bishop has been providing John with social support and took the initiative to organise the surfing session because she knew how important surfing has been to John’s wellbeing and sense of self.

Surfing is also one of John’s favourite topics of conversation, so getting him back on a board just made sense.

John lives at Encounter Bay with his partner Mandy and they often go out driving to look at the water along the Fleurieu coast, or go for short walks along the beach.

The couple met eight years ago while Mandy was working at the local IGA and hit it off by sharing family photos.

John has two adult children who also love the water, and six grandkids, as well as a sister who lives close by.

His family is very important to him and he keeps in touch regularly, however, John’s main supporters are Mandy and the Home Care team.

For more information about how Southern Cross Care’s Home Care services support clients to be Better for life at home, call 1800 852 772.

*Disclaimer: This was a unique social support initiative tailored to an individual’s lifelong skills and does not represent a standard clinical outcome or a specific "surfing therapy" program.