The Outdoor pool at the Wagner Jewish Community Center, Salt Lake City

This pool has been a godsend for my attitude and physical recovery from cancer surgery, chemotherapy from a different cancer, and many procedures related to congestive heart failure.  

I joined last July, once my social security dough started coming in.

Two years ago I thought I needed a heart transplant.  Now I'm kicking a**.

Plus indoors they have another pool and a spa.  Also essential.  I need to relearn how to swim as an adult.  But for now, I am content to walk lanes or outside, what I call "cavorting."  Lessons maybe next winter.

And weight machines, free weights, various fitness equipment like steppers and treadmills and cycles.  I used the indoor cycle quite a bit to get back fitness to be able to get back on my bike, not the others.  I weight lift, not much but both on machines and free weights.  It's helped immeasurably.  I couldn't lift 40-50 pounds before, like cases of water.  Now I can.  And my balance is so much better.

Classes and personal trainers too, but I haven't taken that step yet.  An indoor walking track when I first started walking again (I prefer outdoors even when cold, but for awhile I wasn't ready).  And cultural programs.  

It's well worth the membership fee--even if Medicare doesn't pay for it ("The "new" Washington Post editorial page blows a chance to be innovative | Nudging versus "nannyism" and senior health care").