At 97, this aquafit regular says pool time makes for a long and healthy life

For the past 20 years, Lisbeth Mousseau has had the same routine. 

Every morning she takes ParaTranspo to her local pool at the Nepean Sportsplex, shuffles in with her walker, grabs a foam belt to stay afloat and heads to the deep end to join the rest of her aquafit class. 

"I come five times a week," she said with a smile. "Keeps me going, you know?" 

It's that easy attitude that's won over so many in the class — instructors and students alike — and why last Thursday they came together to celebrate their oldest aquafit member on her 97th birthday. 

"Her enthusiasm is so infectious and she makes everybody so happy," said aquafit instructor Yuri Tsay, who's taught Mousseau for the past seven years

She even baked Mousseau a cake for the occasion.

"I thought we should give her a party. She deserves it. I've always said to her, 'You know, we should spoil you, you're our family."'

'It's her whole life'

Mousseau said she learned to swim in her hometown of Bern, Switzerland, when she was just seven years old, teaching herself in the Aare river.

"Like the Ottawa River, it goes quite fast … but it had places where you could hold on to get out," she recalled. 

These days she prefers to stick to swimming pools where the water is warmer and an oldies playlist accompanies her workout. 

"It's her whole life, I think," her daughter Anne Harr said at the birthday celebration. 

"It keeps her connected to the group … and the exercise keeps her mentally healthy as well."

'if she can do it, damn it all, I can do it, right?'

Despite not knowing Mousseau personally, Karen Murphy wanted to do something to celebrate the woman she'd seen at the pool for years. 

"I've watched her struggle so many times with the size of the strap, changing her mind about which belt to take and going off with one which I knew was way too big," the 75-year-old explained.

When she found out Mousseau's birthday was coming up, she decided to reach out to other aquafit members to ask if they'd like to pitch in to buy her her own belt. 

The response was overwhelmingly positive, with more than $250 collected toward the gift. The remaining money was given to Mousseau on her birthday to put toward another year of aquafit classes or to cover her ParaTranspo expenses.   

To Murphy, Mousseau is an inspiration. 

"I had a husband who went on ParaTranspo for over 15 years in a wheelchair. I know what that can be like," she said, impressed by Mousseau's commitment to the class. 

"It just makes you feel that if she can do it, damn it all, I can do it, right?" 

Mousseau credits her regular pool time with helping her reach 97 years. Her advice for others? 

"If you want to get old, come to aquafit!"