Liesel Scheffer Occupational Therapy

01/06/2026

Today we celebrated Barefoot Day the OT way 👣 with a fun Sensory Path Challenge!

Walking barefoot on different textures gives the brain important sensory input through the feet, helping children develop and strengthen:
✨ Body awareness
✨ Balance
✨ Motor planning
✨ Sensory processing
✨ Postural control

What may look like “just walking” is actually powerful support for the developing nervous system.

28/05/2026

“Me at the end of the work day wondering why my back hurts…”

Also me all day:
* sitting on tiny chairs
* crawling under tables
* carrying therapy equipment
* demonstrating exercises
* bending over desks
* catching runaway sensory toys
* spending 10 minutes in awkward positions to help one child regulate

The OT life keeps us moving in ways we never expected — rewarding, meaningful… and apparently not very spine-friendly. 😂

26/05/2026

24/05/2026

Today is World Schizophrenia Awareness Day: a reminder that schizophrenia is more than the stereotypes often seen online or in media. It is a complex mental health condition that affects real people, real families, and everyday lives.

Awareness starts with understanding.
Support starts with listening.
Change starts when we replace stigma with compassion and accurate information.

Early intervention, support, and access to appropriate care can make a meaningful difference in quality of life and recovery outcomes.

Join us in spreading awareness, encouraging empathy, and helping create conversations that are informed, respectful, and hopeful.

20/05/2026

Being organized looks different for each person, and from an occupational therapy perspective, that’s exactly the point!

We don’t aim for “perfect organization”, we look at how a person can build systems that fit their daily roles, routines, environment, and strengths.

When organization is meaningful and practical for the individual, it can support:
✨ Reduced stress and cognitive load
✨ Improved time management and task initiation
✨ Better decision-making and follow-through
✨ Less overwhelm in daily occupations
✨ Increased independence and confidence

Small, intentional changes in routines or systems can make a big difference in how smoothly daily life flows. It’s not about doing more, it’s about making daily life work better for YOU.

20/05/2026

Today we celebrate International Nurses Day!

To the nurses who show up every day with compassion, patience, and strength — thank you. You are often the calm in the chaos, the steady hands in uncertainty, and the voice of reassurance when it’s needed most.
Your care goes far beyond tasks and treatments. It is seen in the way you comfort families, advocate for patients, and keep going even when the days are long and demanding.

We see you. We appreciate you. And today, we honour you.

Happy International Nurses Day 🌿

18/05/2026

This Dementia Week, we’re taking a closer look at what it means to live with dementia, and how we can better understand and connect with those affected.

Throughout the week, we’ll be sharing a daily fact in our stories to help raise awareness and challenge misconceptions.

Dementia is not just about memory loss: it affects thinking, communication, behaviour, and daily function. Awareness is the first step toward more compassionate and informed support.

Follow along with us this week as we learn, reflect, and grow together.

15/05/2026

Fun at work… but make it OT

We sat with our backs to the camera, pen and paper in hand.
One therapist drew a shape on the next person’s back… and they had to draw what they felt.

Lots of laughs. Lots of confusion. And plenty of “wait… what did you draw?!” moments.

But this simple game is actually packed with occupational therapy skills:
✏️ Tactile discrimination (feeling and interpreting touch)
🧠 Body awareness
🔁 Sensory processing
👥 Communication without words
🖐️ Motor planning to copy what was felt

This is a fantastic activity you can try at home with your child!

OT is often hidden in play… and we love it that way.

13/05/2026

This is NOT just a colour sorting game…

All you need are 5 different colours of balls (or socks, blocks, bottle tops), placed in rows.
At the start of each row is a “leader colour”.

The rule: your child may only swap TWO items at a time until each row matches its leader colour.

Sounds simple? Just watch what happens.

While your child is playing, they’re actually working on:
✔️ Problem solving
✔️ Planning before acting (motor planning)
✔️ Visual scanning
✔️ Attention and concentration
✔️ Bilateral coordination
✔️ Inhibition and self-control
✔️ Flexible thinking
✔️ Executive functioning

This is why we love activities like this in OT, it looks like play, but there’s a lot more going on beneath the surface.