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Elsje Scheffler
Experience & Activities
Qualifications
She holds a BSc in Physiotherapy, BSc Honours in the Neurology of Physiotherapy, MSc in Rehabilitation Sciences and PhD in Family Medicine from the University of Stellenbosch.
Background
Elsje enjoys general and neuro rehabilitation and is passionate about the plight of people living with disabilities.
While she initially wanted to practise sports physiotherapy, a field which she had the opportunity to pursue in the United States, she found treating patients with disabilities far more rewarding. This sense of fulfilment has followed her into her current position as a physiotherapist with a special interest in adult neuro.
Elsje is motivated by how small improvements – such as prescribing the correct cushion for a wheelchair – can make a difference in a person’s quality of life.
The resilience of her patients and watching them overcome major obstacles inspires her every day.
Rehab Skills Lab
Elsje began her Rehab Skills Lab journey after assisting in the formulation of new policies aimed at improving wheelchair service delivery in the Western Cape.
Later, she worked with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to establish guidelines for medical professionals working in the wheelchair sector. This was part of a push to create a more sustainable wheelchair programme globally.
In this regard, her team partnered with Motivation UK to improve the training packages on offer to professionals.
She is currently working with the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) on a three-year project to assist with the implementation of a global wheelchair tender.
The initiative will allow low and middle-income countries to bypass the tender process, resulting in greater access to the right wheelchairs for specific environments.
Being involved in these and other programmes inspired Elsje to start DARE Consult, now Rehab Skills Lab, as a training facility for South African medical professionals.
She has adapted the WHO policy for the South African context, particularly for patients in lower income brackets.