Occupational therapist assistants and aides work under the direction of occupational therapists to provide rehabilitative services to persons with mental, physical, emotional, or developmental impairments. The ultimate goal is to improve clients' quality of life and ability to perform daily activities. For example, occupational therapist assistants help injured workers re-enter the labor force by teaching them how to compensate for lost motor skills or help individuals with learning disabilities increase their independence.
Occupational therapist assistants, commonly known as occupational therapy assistants, help clients with rehabilitative activities and exercises outlined in a treatment plan developed in collaboration with an occupational therapist. Activities range from teaching 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 an individual's activities to make sure that they are performed correctly and to provide encouragement. They also record their client's progress for the occupational therapist. If the treatment is not having the intended effect, or the client is not improving as expected, the therapist may alter the treatment program in hopes of obtaining better results. In addition, occupational therapist assistants document the billing of the client's health insurance provider.
Occupational therapist aides typically prepare materials and assemble equipment used during treatment. They are responsible for a range of clerical tasks, including scheduling appointments, answering the telephone, restocking or ordering depleted supplies, and filling out insurance forms or other paperwork. Aides are not licensed, so the law does not allow them to perform as wide a range of tasks as occupational therapist assistants.
Work environment. Occupational therapist assistants and aides need to have a moderate degree of strength because of the physical exertion required to assist patients. For example, assistants and aides may need to lift patients. Constant kneeling, stooping, and standing for long periods also are part of the job.
The hours and days that occupational therapist assistants and aides work vary by facility and with whether they are full- or part time. For example, many outpatient therapy offices and clinics have evening and weekend hours to coincide with patients' schedules.
| 1. | Observe and record patients' progress, attitudes, and behavior, and maintain this information in client records. |
| 2. | Maintain and promote a positive attitude toward clients and their treatment programs. |
| 3. | Monitor patients' performance in therapy activities, providing encouragement. |
| 4. | Select therapy activities to fit patients' needs and capabilities. |
| 5. | Instruct, or assist in instructing, patients and families in home programs, basic living skills, and the care and use of adaptive equipment. |
| 6. | Evaluate the daily living skills and capacities of physically, developmentally or emotionally disabled clients. |
| 7. | Aid patients in dressing and grooming themselves. |
| 8. | Implement, or assist occupational therapists with implementing, treatment plans designed to help clients function independently. |
| 9. | Report to supervisors, verbally or in writing, on patients' progress, attitudes and behavior. |
| 10. | Alter treatment programs to obtain better results if treatment is not having the intended effect. |
| 11. | Work under the direction of occupational therapists to plan, implement and administer educational, vocational, and recreational programs that restore and enhance performance in individuals with functional impairments. |
| 12. | Design, fabricate, and repair assistive devices and make adaptive changes to equipment and environments. |
| 13. | Assemble, clean, and maintain equipment and materials for patient use. |
| 14. | Teach patients how to deal constructively with their emotions. |
| 15. | Perform clerical duties such as scheduling appointments, collecting data, and documenting health insurance billings. |
| 16. | Transport patients to and from the occupational therapy work area. |
| 17. | Demonstrate therapy techniques such as manual and creative arts, or games. |
| 18. | Order any needed educational or treatment supplies. |
| 19. | Assist educational specialists or clinical psychologists in administering situational or diagnostic tests to measure client's abilities or progress. |
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