Headway Natal

Headway-Natal offers five main services, the first being respite care which is beneficial to both the survivor and the family. The aim is to provide a change of environment which is both stimulating and beneficial and sociable. It also allows the carer / family member an opportunity to relax, and have some time for herself or himself. Secondly, we offer rehabilitation in the form of four disciplines: Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Psychology and Physiotherapy.

Our services are only available to individuals who have sustained an acquired brain injury i.e. motor vehicle accident, gunshots and any other trauma to the brain. We only cater for individuals over the age of 18.

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The process one follows after such a trauma is to contact us - (numbers will appear on the contact page). We will chat with you to see if there are any immediate needs and how best we can assist you. We will then invite you to visit Headway House where we will give you a tour and introduce you to our staff and other clients, and also show you the resources available to you. Based on this visit, we will be able to help you make decisions on the way forward.

Then we will attempt introduce your loved one (client) into a series of screenings and assessments to gauge how to move forward. This is where the therapists become involved. After the four assessments are completed the family is given the therapists' recommendations. Clients are slotted into therapies or what we call the daily General Group, which is headed up by the Occupational Therapist, (an updated programme in available on the activities page)

Information and literature is available throughout this entire process. We will make counselling for the family available since the family unit has also suffered much trauma.

Direct Services offered:

Physiotherapy (including Hydrotherapy)

A physiotherapist is a health professional who assists in the healing process using physical methods such as exercise, joint mobilisation, electrical treatment, lung techniques, hydrotherapy and many other modalities.

In the neuro-rehabilitation situation a physiotherapist will use whatever techniques assist the brain and spinal cord to recover function lost by injury or disease. The consequences of the problem are also addressed, e.g. loss of mobility in joints, muscles and the need for special splints, walking aids and carer training. The fitness of the patient also receives attention as persons with reduced mobility are vulnerable to weight gain which can lead to serious medical problems. The main goal of physiotherapy is to encourage as much independent function as possible.

The physiotherapist forms an integral part of a patient's support structure and the therapy team who deal with other related aspects of the patient's - and the family's - rehabilitation.

Occupational Therapy

An Occupational Therapist is a health care professional who uses therapeutic activities to improve areas of dysfunction while assisting the patient to regain independence in activities of daily living through new techniques or assistive devices.

When treating a person with an acquired brain injury the OT assists in improving physical, cognitive and social areas of difficulty. The OT helps the person achieve more independence and improves the quality of life through individual programs, group programs and activities.

Speech Therapy

The role of a Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) is to assess and treat speech, language and communication problems in people to enable them to communicate to the best of their ability. They help to indentify the client's strengths and weaknesses in order to plan interventions which aim to increase functional abilities. They may also work with people who have eating and swallowing problems.

Clinical Psychology

The cognitive consequences of an acquired brain injury are often underestimated, yet they can impact on all aspects of functioning. Areas covered in Clinical Psychology include intellectual functioning, language and verbal abilities, visual-motor and visual spatial processing, performance, sequential memory and academic achievement. Psychological tests identify subtle effects much more readily than physical methods such as scans - important as these are.

Respite Care:

As mentioned on the Services page, Headway-Natal offers respite care which is beneficial to both the survivor and the family. The aim is to provide a change of environment which is stimulating and beneficial and sociable. It also allows the carer / family member an opportunity to relax, and have some time for herself or himself.

Support Groups offered:

Carers / family members
Zulu-speaking carers / family members
People with an Acquired Brain Injury
Social Stroke Group
Telephonic Support
Hospital visits
Literature

The General Group (Respite Care) runs on a daily basis, Monday to Friday, from 9.00a.m. until1.00p.m. The respite care programme is therapy based and run by an Occupational therapist. (see our ACTIVIES page)

Therapies run on a daily basis Monday to Friday, from 9:00am until 1:00pm.

The Costs involved are:

The initial assessment includes Speech Therapy, Physiotherapy, Psychology and Occupational Therapy, plus membership to Headway. The combined cost is R260.00.
Rates for 2006 are R50 for a general group; R45 per half hour individual session with the required therapist.
Cost of Hydrotherapy is R55.00 for ½ hour.
Clients interested in using the hydro pool on their own need to pay a levy of R10.00 per half an hour.
Accounts are payable on presentation

This pricing is subject to change

Visits to people while still in hospital, and at home, can be arranged on request.