Services

EPILEPSY SOUTH AFRICA KZN MIDLANDS , offers holistic social work services to all people living with epilepsy or other disabilities and to those who are affected by epilepsy or other disabilities.

These services are offered in the Pietermaritzburg and surrounding areas as outlined by boundries set by the Department of Social Development. By means of pscho-social services EPILEPSY SOUTH AFRICA KZN, hopes to improve the social functioning of both people living with epilepsy or other disabilities so that they are able to function adequately in normal society and so that they can advocate for themselves, thus attaining a higher quality of life. The following methods are used in service delivery:

1. Individual Counselling: This involves work on a one to one basis between social worker and client. All information shared is confidential.
2. Family/Group Counselling: This involves counselling of all family members or selected family members together with client. Group counselling may occur when other people who are not related to the client are affected by the problem or if they have an influence in problem solving, here again the client will be included.

Some of the most comman issues that clients are assisted with are listed below:

1. Acceptance of diagnosis
2. Understanding EPILEPSY
3. Information abouth epilepsy
4. Medication compliance and epilepsy management
5. Facts and myths about epilepsy
6. Life style management
7. Dealing with discrimination in schools and the workplace
8. Impact of diagnosis on the family and social functioning
9. Assistance with social security grants
10. Assistance with employment
11. Linking clients with necessary resources
12. Orientation, mobility and life skills training for visually impaired clients

By means of support groups for both people living with epilepsy and families of people living with epilepsy, the organisation hopes to create a safe, caring and understanding environment where people can come together and share similar feelings and experiencing.

By means of communicating with people with similar experiences it is hoped that group members can learn form each other and support each other and also realize that they are not alone. It is thourgh this medium that we hope that group members grow in self esteem and are able to advocate for themselves. People with similar experiences will find it much easier to empathize with each other resulting in people with epilepsy or other disabilities providing support for people with epilepsy or orther disabilities.

EPILEPSY SOUTH AFRICA KZN MIDLANDS has started working in some of the deep rural areas in KwaZulu Natal Midlands, that are in need of social welfare services. By means of developing partnerships and Networking with other organisations outreach work has been conducted in these areas.

The communities in these areas donot have access to medical facilities, social services and educational services. By means out reach services to these areas these communities are edcuated on the issues of medical treatment for epilepsy and why medical treatment is necessary for the management of epilepsy, clients are linked to the nearest medical facilities. Clients are also made aware of the social welfare services that are offered to them and how they can access these services.

By means of regular community contact it is hoped that communities can be educated by means of public awareness to ensure that they are able to take care of each other. Communities have also received training on income generation and how they can relieve their poverty by becoming self suffiecient eg home gardening, making sta soft, vaseline and floor polish and selling these products.

There exisist many myths and misconceptions about epilepsy and even in the modern society that we live in people are discriminated against because of the lack of information and education. We therefore view Public awareness programmes as one of the most valuable tools available to us in advocating for people Living with epilepsy.

It is through this medium that we hope to create an awareness about epielpsy and to also overcome the myths and misconceptions that disadvantage those living with epilepsy. By means of links created with communities, private sectors, civil society, public enterprises, medical facilities and educational facilities, we hope to deliever educational talks thus creating an awareness of epilepsy and to help overcome the barriers that prevent people living with epilepsy from having equal opportunities in society