Occupational Therapy Assistant
What does an Occupational Therapy Assistant do?
Occupational Therapy Assistants are directly involved in patient care, often helping occupational therapists implement a specific treatment or rehabilitation plan. Assistants help patients through various rehabilitative activities, observing and recording their progress throughout different stages of the process. They might also help patients in dressing or grooming themselves when they are physically unable to do so themselves. Occupational therapy assistants are integral in implementing a lasting plan of treatment to help patients in physical rehabilitation with their lifelong goals of recovery.
Types of Work Environments
- Schools, especially those for children with learning disabilities, behavioral problems, cerebral palsy or Down's Syndrome.
- Patients' homes
- Community centers
- Rehabilitation hospitals
- Nursing homes
Education and Training Requirements
Occupational therapy assistants have a high school diploma or GED and an associate's degree from an accredited program. Most states also require occupational therapy assistants to be licensed.
According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the median salary for an occupational therapy assistant is approximately $53,090 per year.
The American Occupational Therapy Association