Occupational Therapy

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Anita van der Wath Occupational Therapy provides the Occupational Therapy services at Cape Rehab Team.

Occupational therapy is a client-centred profession concerned with promoting health and well-being, preventing disability and enhancing development through occupation. The primary goal of Occupational Therapy is to enable people to participate in their activities of everyday life.

Following a neurological event, physical abilities are often affected which can have a direct impact on functional independence and quality of life. Occupational Therapy aims to restore and develop these vital skills necessary to lead meaningful and satisfying lives following neurological injuries.

Depending on the diagnosis, Occupational Therapy usually commences early on in the acute phase of the condition, and may continue right through until the final stages of rehabilitation. Treatment programs are designed specific to each patient and we regularly work within a multidisciplinary team to ensure the best possible functional outcome.

We are a team of Neurological Occupational Therapists who are passionate about supporting the rehabilitation process by helping those affected to find their new version of normal. For some, it may be to support a hospital discharge, adapt the home environment or to source relevant equipment to maximize independence. For others it may include improving daily routine, advising on fatigue management, improving cognitive function or facilitating a return to work.

We treat any physical/neurological condition which impedes a person’s ability to function normally. The pathologies treated most frequently include:

Stroke
Traumatic Brain Injury,
Parkinson’s Disease,
Multiple Sclerosis,
Motor Neuron Disease,
Guillain-Barre Syndrome,
Spinal Cord Injury,
Alzheimer’s
Dementia
Amputations

Therapy focuses on goal-directed treatment to ensure optimal quality of life by:

Improving physical and functional performance in all activities of daily living, including self-care, work and leisure pursuits
Cognitive rehabilitation with the goals of restoring or compensating for loss of function
Return to work support

Testimonials

"Today was our last session with Marcelle. David had such a fantastic rapport with her. He was a bit emotional when she left. Very unusual emotion for him. I cannot thank Marcelle enough for all she has done. David’s progress has been remarkable. She firmly but swiftly extended him beyond his comfort zone. He was surprised by what he was capable of. When he was discharged from hospital three months ago he was basically an invalid. He was bedridden and only able to take a few halting steps with the aid of a walker. He could not wash, dress or eat himself. All that has changed. He now showers and walks unaided. He leads a normal life and walks with some confidence while at the same time being mindful of his surroundings so that he is safe from stumbling and falling. I cannot thank Marcelle enough.”

David

"My husband had a stroke. Something we think will happen to someone else. He is an extremely intelligent man and used to being in control. The reality is when you have something like this happen - you quickly realize you need help and a team that deeply cares and understands. Liezl was a key part of that team. She is extremely talented, experienced and intuitive. Liezl also understood that this was a family challenge and went beyond with kindness and patience to keep us all up to speed and included us in hubby’s recovery. I have no doubt that without her skills, experience and attention we would have not made the phenomenal progress we have"

Janette

"I would like to thank Liezl Bosch, who was my occupational therapist for one month. I had a terrible year due to covid and being in the hospital and rehab for 107 days. I had a physio session twice a week by a physio therapist, but realised that I needed an occupational therapist as well with the little things to make my hands and fingers more flexible, to be able to sit on the floor and get up and basic therapy to build my confidence to be independent. I was very surprised and happy with Liezl and apart from her bubbly personality and genuine care for her patients, she was really monitoring every move, exercise and progress and was organised and ready for the next session. Always caring and her main goal was to get me to improve and be motivated. I can only thank her for her care, input and support. "

Ian

Anita graduated from Stellenbosch University in 2015 with a degree in Occupational Therapy, after which she completed her year of community service at Cecilia Makiwane Regional Hospital in the Eastern Cape.
Anita then went on to work in the Neurosurgery Unit at Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town where she gained specialized skills by treating patients with a wide range of functional and physical abilities, including exposure to neurosurgical, neuro-oncology and neurology cases as well as weekly seating clinics.

She broadened her field of expertise by completing the Basic, Intermediate (2016) and Advanced (2017) Seating Courses; an international Acute Stroke Management Symposium (2015); Bobath (NDT) training (2017) and completed her advanced Bobath training in 2020.
Anita moved into the private sector in 2018 and has since been treating adults in both the acute and rehabilitation phase. Anita has a special interest in the management of adults with traumatic brain injuries, neuro-oncology and strokes.

She is passionate about the unique role that Occupational Therapists get to play in the recovery of patients from the acute phase of illness through to the final stages of reintegration back into their community.

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