Occupational Therapy Assistants

• Nature of the Work

  Occupational therapy assistants and aides work under the direction of occupational therapists to provide rehabilitative services to patients suffering from mental, physical, emotional, or developmental impairments. The ultimate goal is to improve patients' quality of life by assisting them in overcoming limitations. For example, they help injured workers re-enter the labor force by improving their motor skills or help persons with learning disabilities increase their independence by teaching them to prepare meals or use public transportation.

  Occupational therapy assistants help patients with the rehabilitative activities and exercises that are outlined in the treatment plan devised by the occupational therapist. The activities range from teaching the patient the proper method of moving from a bed into a wheelchair, to the best way to stretch and limber the muscles of the hand. Assistants monitor the individual to ensure the patient is performing the activities correctly and to provide encouragement. They also record their observations with regard to the patient's progress for use by the occupational therapist. If the treatment is not having the intended effect or the client is not improving as expected, the treatment program may be altered to obtain better results. They also document billing of the patient's health insurance provider.

  Occupational therapy aides typically prepare materials and assemble equipment used during treatment and are responsible for a range of clerical tasks. Their duties may include scheduling appointments, answering the telephone, restocking or ordering depleted supplies, and filling out insurance forms or other paperwork. Aides are not licensed, so by law they are not allowed to perform as wide a range of tasks as occupational therapy assistants.

• Working Conditions

  Occupational therapy assistants and aides usually work during the day, but may occasionally work evenings or weekends in order to accommodate the patient's schedule. They should be in good physical shape because they are on their feet for long periods of time and may be asked to help lift and move patients or equipment.

  Assistants and aides must be responsible, patient, willing to take directions, and work as part of a team. Furthermore, they should be caring and want to help people who are not able to help themselves. The job can be rewarding and assistants and aides often feel a sense of accomplishment when patients show improvement or recover.

• Employment

  Occupational therapy assistants and aides held 16,000 jobs in 1994. Over one-third worked in hospitals and about 1 in 4 worked in nursing and personal care facilities. The rest primarily worked in offices of occupational therapists and other offices operated by health practitioners. A small, but increasing number of assistants and aides work in the home health services industry and provide care in patients' homes.

• Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement

  Occupational therapy assistants need an associate's degree from an accredited community college or technical school. There were 77 accredited occupational therapy assistant programs in the United States in 1993. The first year of study typically involves an introduction to healthcare, and basic medical terminology, anatomy, and physiology. In the second year, courses are more rigorous and usually include occupational theory courses in areas like mental health, gerontology and pediatrics. Students also must complete supervised fieldwork in a clinic. Applicants to occupational therapy assistant programs can improve their chances of admission by taking high school courses in biology and health, and by performing volunteer work in nursing homes, occupational or physical therapist's offices, or elsewhere in the healthcare field.

  After students receive their associate's degrees, they may have to take a State licensure exam to prove their competence. Thirty-seven States, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia required occupational therapy assistants to be licensed in 1994.

  Occupational therapy aides usually receive most of their training on the job. Qualified applicants must have a high school diploma, strong interpersonal skills, and a desire to help people in need. Applicants may increase their chances of getting a job by volunteering their services, thus displaying initiative and their aptitude to the employer.

• Job Outlook

  Opportunities for jobseekers should be favorable. Employment of occupational therapy assistants and aides is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations through 2005. Although the occupation is expected to be one of the fastest growing in the economy, the number of job openings will be low because the occupation is small.

  Growth will result from an aging population, especially the "baby boom" cohort, that will need more occupational therapy services. Demand will also result from advances in medicine that allow more people with critical problems to survive, but then need rehabilitative therapy. Furthermore, employers seeking to reduce health care costs are expected to hire more occupational therapy assistants and aides for tasks currently being performed by more highly paid occupational therapists.

• Earnings

  According to a membership survey of the American Occupational Therapy Association, the median annual income for occupational therapy assistants was about $25,300 in 1993. Based on limited information, occupational therapy aides usually start between $6.00 and $7.00 an hour. Starting salaries for both occupations tend to be lower in hospitals and higher in privately owned practices and nursing homes.

• Related Occupations

  Occupational therapy assistants and aides work under the direction of occupational therapists. Other occupations in the healthcare field that work closely with and are supervised by professionals include dental assistants , medical assistants, optometric assistants, pharmacy assistants, and physical therapy assistants and aides.

• Sources of Additional Information

  Information on a career as an occupational therapy assistant or aide, and a list of accredited programs can be obtained from:
  The American Occupational Therapy Association, 4720 Montgomery Lane., P.O. Box 31220, Bethesda, MD 20824-1220.

Occupational Outlook Handbook Home Page