All About Occupational Therapy Aides
Occupational Therapy Aide Job Description Under close supervision of an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant, perform only delegated, selected, or routine tasks in specific situations. These duties include preparing patient and treatment room.
Life As an Occupational Therapy Aide: What Do They Do?
- Report to supervisors or therapists, verbally or in writing, on patients’ progress, attitudes, attendance, and accomplishments.
- Prepare and maintain work area, materials, and equipment and maintain inventory of treatment and educational supplies.
- Demonstrate therapy techniques, such as manual and creative arts and games.
- Assist educational specialists or clinical psychologists in administering situational or diagnostic tests to measure client’s abilities or progress.
- Instruct patients and families in work, social, and living skills, the care and use of adaptive equipment, and other skills to facilitate home and work adjustment to disability.
- Manage intradepartmental infection control and equipment security.
Occupational Therapy Aide Needed Skills
These are the skills Occupational Therapy Aides say are the most useful in their careers:
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Related Job Titles
- Certified Occupational Rehabilitation Aide (CORA)
- Restorative Coordinator
- Direct Support Professional
- Rehabilitation Technologist
- Occupational Rehabilitation Aide
Is There Going to be Demand for Occupational Therapy Aides?
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 7,500 jobs in the United States for Occupational Therapy Aide. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 24% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 1,800 new jobs for Occupational Therapy Aide by 2026. There will be an estimated 1,200 positions for Occupational Therapy Aide per year.
The states with the most job growth for Occupational Therapy Aide are Delaware, Arizona, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Wyoming, Oregon, or Maine. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Occupational Therapy Aide Salary
Occupational Therapy Aides make between $18,260 and $58,660 a year.
Occupational Therapy Aides who work in Washington, New York, or Arizona, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Occupational Therapy Aides in different U.S. states.
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Arizona | $38,760 |
| California | $35,240 |
| Colorado | $33,060 |
| Connecticut | $33,740 |
| Delaware | $34,220 |
| Florida | $26,770 |
| Georgia | $27,490 |
| Illinois | $28,820 |
| Indiana | $30,360 |
| Iowa | $30,900 |
| Louisiana | $40,940 |
| Maryland | $34,300 |
| Massachusetts | $36,190 |
| Michigan | $35,120 |
| Minnesota | $33,020 |
| Missouri | $29,890 |
| Nebraska | $27,700 |
| New Hampshire | $35,880 |
| New Jersey | $29,330 |
| New York | $46,600 |
| North Carolina | $29,480 |
| North Dakota | $35,900 |
| Ohio | $32,140 |
| Oklahoma | $31,340 |
| Pennsylvania | $32,080 |
| South Carolina | $29,330 |
| Tennessee | $30,540 |
| Texas | $31,390 |
| Utah | $23,930 |
| Virginia | $38,360 |
| Washington | $51,360 |
| West Virginia | $29,120 |
| Wisconsin | $28,970 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Occupational Therapy Aides
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Occupational Therapy Aides:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Access
- Data entry software
- MEDITECH software
- Scheduling software
- Electronic medical record EMR software
- Billing software
How do I Become an Occupational Therapy Aide?
Individuals working as an Occupational Therapy Aide have obtained the following education levels:
How Long Does it Take to Become an Occupational Therapy Aide?
Who Employs Occupational Therapy Aides?
Below are examples of industries where Occupational Therapy Aides work:
Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Those interested in being an Occupational Therapy Aide may also be interested in:
References:
Image Credit: Sgt. Courtney Richardson, 4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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