Physiotherapy Gets You Moving. Occupational Therapy Gets You Living.
Walking again is one thing. Buttoning your own shirt, making a cup of tea, holding your grandchild, going back to work: that is a different set of skills, and they have to be rebuilt deliberately. That is what an occupational therapist does.
Book occupational therapy, 012 798 7000
Who we help
- Stroke survivors. Relearning dressing, washing, eating, and use of a weakened arm and hand.
- Hand and upper limb injuries. After fractures, tendon injuries and surgery.
- Patients returning to work. Assessing what the job needs and building back to it.
- Children. Fine motor skills, handwriting, sensory difficulties, feeding, and school readiness.
- Older adults. Staying independent at home, and preventing the fall that changes everything.
- Mental health patients. Rebuilding routine, structure and daily function as part of psychiatric recovery.
- Families. Practical training in how to help without taking over.
What to expect
- Assessment of function, not just injury. What does your day actually require of you?
- Task-based therapy. You practise the real activities: dressing, cooking, writing, lifting.
- Equipment and adaptation. Sometimes the answer is a different technique; sometimes it’s a rail, a raised seat or a modified tool.
- Home and work advice, so that progress in the therapy room survives contact with real life.
- Family training, because most recovery happens between appointments.
Cost and medical aid
Usually covered from a rehabilitation or day-to-day benefit, depending on your plan and whether you are admitted. We check before starting. Cash rates on request.
Your occupational therapists
Occupational Therapists
More on the conditions they treat is on our Occupational Therapy department page.
Full profiles and consulting details are in our specialist directory.
Questions people actually ask
What is the difference between occupational therapy and physiotherapy?
Physiotherapy rebuilds movement: strength, balance, walking, joint function. Occupational therapy rebuilds the ability to do things: dress, cook, write, work, care for children. They overlap, and they work best together.
Do I need a referral?
Not always, you can book directly. If your medical aid needs a referral for payment, we’ll say so upfront.
Can occupational therapy really help after a stroke?
Yes, and it is one of the most evidence-backed parts of stroke recovery. Regaining arm and hand function, and relearning daily tasks, is core occupational therapy work.
My child struggles with handwriting and gets frustrated at school. Is that OT?
Very often, yes. Fine motor difficulties, sensory processing issues and school readiness are all standard occupational therapy assessments.
I need to get back to work, but I’m not sure I can do the job any more.
An occupational therapist can assess what your job physically and cognitively requires, compare it to what you can currently manage, and build a programme to close the gap, or advise on adaptations.
How is this different from just practising at home?
Practising the wrong way entrenches the wrong pattern. An occupational therapist works out why a task has become difficult and rebuilds it in the right order.
Related departments
Book occupational therapy, 012 798 7000