Career Profile: Occupational Therapy Aides

Salary and Outlook

According to the US Department of Labor, there are 3,500 people employed as occupational therapy aides in the United States. The median annual salary is $33,560. Entry level employees earn approximately $23,860 per year and senior employees earn approximately $61,960 per year.

Estimates do not include other potential benefits such as health insurance, overtime, or retirement benefits that may be offered by employers.

Job Duties

• Encourage patients and attend to their physical needs to facilitate the attainment of therapeutic goals.
• Report to supervisors or therapists, verbally or in writing, on patients' progress, attitudes, attendance, and accomplishments.
• Observe patients' attendance, progress, attitudes, and accomplishments and record and maintain information in client records.
• Prepare and maintain work area, materials, and equipment and maintain inventory of treatment and educational supplies.
• Transport patients to and from the occupational therapy work area.
• Adjust and repair assistive devices and make adaptive changes to other equipment and to environments.
• Evaluate the living skills and capacities of physically, developmentally, or emotionally disabled clients.
• Accompany patients on outings, providing transportation when necessary.
• 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.
• Assist occupational therapists in planning, implementing, and administering therapy programs to restore, reinforce, and enhance performance, using selected activities and special equipment.
• Demonstrate therapy techniques, such as manual and creative arts and games.
• Manage intradepartmental infection control and equipment security.
• Perform clerical, administrative, and secretarial duties, such as answering phones, restocking and ordering supplies, filling out paperwork, and scheduling appointments.
• Supervise patients in choosing and completing work assignments or arts and crafts projects.

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