House Otto Self-Help Centre provides accommodation and 24-hour physical assistance on a permanent basis to people with spinal cord injuries, mainly Quadriplegics and Paraplegics. By providing these services, we create a platform to these people to continue living their lives as normal and independently as possible without relying too much on family and friends. Apart from the 24-hour physical assistance provided, the residents at House Otto are normal everyday people, the difference is, ‘WE DO THINGS A LITTLE DIFFERENT!’
What are Quad/Paraplegics?
Quadriplegics are paralysed from the neck down. This condition affects all limbs and sensation across the body. Depending on the various levels, higher or lower, and places of the injury or fracture of the spine, the person has got no use or partial us of their limbs.
Paraplegics mainly experience loss of function and sensation below the waist as a result of a very low fracture of the spine and damage to the spinal cord. Apart from this, the upper body continues to function normally.
The Causes
These disabilities along with many other are caused through:
- Car accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Diving accidents (neck injury when diving into shallow water)
- Sport accidents (rugby injury, motor sports, etc)
- Gunshots (accidents or malicious muggings or attacks)
- Tumours
- Illness or disease
These are some of the causes of physical disability.
Special care and equipment needed
People with spinal cord injuries need 24-hour physical assistance with:
- Bathing and dressing
- Preparing meals and sometimes feeding
- Emptying of urine bags and bowel management
- Daily tasks around the house or office
- Getting ready for bed
Quadriplegics need:
- Battery operated wheelchairs to get around
- Specially adapted vehicles
- Lifting equipment for in and out of bed
- Computers to work on
- Assistive devices such as typing sticks and splints
Paraplegics need:
- Manual wheelchairs dependent on upper body strength
- Hand controls fitted to vehicles
- Grab rails in bathrooms, etc to support them with transfers
House Otto Info
Established on 25 September 1984, House Otto has been successful in a number of projects both in and outside of the Centre. We take pride in that we do not only make a difference in the lives of the residents at House Otto but also run various projects in our community.
Services to the Residents:
- Own room where each person’s privacy is respected
- 24-hour physical assistance through the permanent employment of six caregivers and a driver
- Provision of 3 meals a day and laundry once a week
- Specially adapted vehicles
- Opportunity to be part of further education through study bursaries provided to QASA, our National body
- The opportunity to make a difference in the lives or those less fortunate
Services to the Community:
- We deliver monthly food parcels to under privileged families living with disabilities in the community
- Transport to the general disabled community to and from hospitals, clinics, social events, capacity building workshops, etc
- School visits and motivational talks are done to create awareness amongst the youth to educate them about the causes and effects of becoming disabled
- We also go to companies to raise awareness about the causes of Quadriplegia and Paraplegia by using a Seatbelt Convincer. This is a project that is run by QASA. House Otto’s residents have in the past successfully run this project at Corporate Wellness Days
- Care and support services to newly injured persons by giving advice and providing assistive devices to them
- Hosting capacity building and skill development workshops to the community
- Establishment of more Self-Help Centres
House Otto is not regarded as an institution but as a home where disabled people live and work, where we understand each other’s life situation and uplift one another to be the best that we can be. It is also a place where family and friends come to visit and see how the lives or their relatives and friends have changed. They are able to see how these individuals have developed and become more independent and are living full lives despite their individual disabilities.
We rely mainly on donations, grants and subsidies for an income. Subsidies are received annually from the Department of Social Development and grants are made by the National Lotteries Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF). Donations from regular Trusts and Donors such as The DG Murray Trust, The Davies Foundation, The Carl and Emily Fuchs Foundation, The Edgar Droste Trust, etc are received annually that keeps us operating. Apart from these sources of income it is also necessary for us to organise income-generating projects to make up for shortfalls that still occur. These include an annual Golf Day.
It has been a pleasure to provide information to you about House Otto and its functions. We would like to invite you to become part of House Otto and help us create awareness about our Centre so that we would be able to make a bigger difference in the lives of those less fortunate. Come and spend some time with us or contact us if you would like more information.
Operates in: Johannesburg, Gauteng
Established in: September 1984
Non-Profit Organisation Number: 029-460
Public Benefit Organisation Number: 930008527
Section 21 Company Number:
Trust Number:
Contact person: Ben Potgieter
Phone: 011 817 5496 or 082 426 8379
Fax: 086 657 6324
Email:
Website: www.houseotto.org.za
Physical address: 6 Marsabit Street, Pollak Park ext. 3, Springs
Postal address: P O Box 1375, Rosettenville, 2130
