Recreational Therapy Aide Job Description

Post-secondary programs in recreational therapy assistants

To become a recreational therapy assistant, you need to find a post-secondary program in recreational therapy. The programs at the university level are more theoretical and require a recreational therapist to become one. The therapy assistant programs are usually one to two years in length and combine classroom and work experience terms.

When choosing a program to become a recreational therapy assistant, check the schools' links to community organizations, the types of work terms available and the level of interaction with the recreational therapist training programs. The number of work terms available and the quality of work terms have a direct impact on the opportunities available to you and the experiences that can be added to your resume. A dedicated work term is offered by almost all recreational therapy assistant programs.

Work placement programs give you the chance to gain experience under the supervision of a recreational therapist. Senior centers, programs for the delayed and disabled, and rehabilitation centers are possible locations. The work term is a great place to get experience and get some references.

Physical Therapy Assistants

Physical therapy aides are part of the physical therapy support teams. P.T. aides are hired to perform non medical tasks, such as cleaning treatment rooms and transporting patients to different areas of a health care facility. Physical therapy aides should not be confused with physical therapist assistants.

The educational requirements and job duties of the two occupations are vastly different. P.T. aides may not provide direct patient care if they are medically treating patients. P.T. aides are usually responsible for setting up equipment and maintaining a clean and functional area for treatments and exercises.

P.T. aides help patients move from one area to another. They handle clerical duties such as patient intake, coordinating with doctors' offices and documenting patients' responses during exercises. A high school degree is all that is needed to become a physical therapy aide.

It's not uncommon for people to work as P.T. aides while studying to be a physical therapy assistant. P.T. aides should have strong computer skills. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the job growth for physical therapy aides is more than four times the growth for all occupations.

The growth is due to an aging population with increased health care needs. Physical therapy aides spend a lot of time on their feet working with patients. In some cases, aides may need to help.

Recreation Assistants

Recreation assistants are hired to help with daily activities at senior citizen centers, athletic clubs, physical therapy centers, youth camps and fitness organizations. A supervisor is responsible for delegate tasks related to sports, games, movies, crafts, music and other recreation. The recreation assistants are responsible for setting up equipment and cleaning up after an event.

A recreation assistant doesn't need a formal education. Some facilities hire high school students to work. Entry-level positions are available, but employers often seek recreation assistants who have one to two years of experience.

Education and experience are beneficial to the job, but an assistant's friendly personality, creativity, and responsibility level are highly valued by supervisors. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states that most seasonal and part-time recreation workers learn through on-the-job training or specialized training in art, music, drama or athletics. Most employers don't require recreation assistants to be certified, but there are degree programs in recreational therapy and a certification option called Activities Assistant Certified.

Using Play to Improve Your Brain Function: A Study of Therapeutic Recreation Therapy

The healthcare team and recreational therapists work together to set health goals and develop a plan to meet them. The plan is based on your interests and resources in your community. After a structured program where the adults engaged in their chosen activities every week and did simple upper body exercises, they reported improved self-esteem compared with how they felt before starting therapy program.

In a 2012 study, researchers found that people who engaged in more therapeutic recreation after a spine injury recovered functional independence at a slightly higher rate than those who didn't. It is important to remember that recreational therapy can not fully restore the brain areas that have been damaged. Research from the year of 2017 suggests that physical activity, social relationships, and activities that challenge your thinking may help maintain the healthy functioning of your brain.

The therapist needs a bachelor's degree in recreational therapy, a related field, or have worked for at least 5 years in therapeutic recreation services to become certified. They need to pass a rigorous exam and complete a supervised internship to be certified. If you are receiving therapeutic recreational therapy in a hospital, skilled nursing facility, or rehabilitation clinic, you may not need to choose a therapist as they are likely to be part of your treatment team.

The Toolkit of Recreational Therapists

Recreational therapists use leisure activities as a primary intervention for addressing social, emotional, cognitive, and physical ailments. The purpose of their work is to help their clients bring about positive life change, so that their functioning is restored if at the very least repaired. The work of recreational therapists is just one part of a larger effort to rehabilitate.

Occupational and physical therapists, speech therapists, psychiatrists, and nursing staff are not the only recreational therapists who work in a team. Recreational therapists have a unique relationship with their clients. Recreational therapists work together as a team to take input from their clients and loved ones.

When designing intervention programs, therapists take each client's interests into account. The toolkit that recreational therapists have is unique and can bring about therapeutic change. Therapy animals, arts and crafts, music and dance, and other recreational therapists try to improve the well-being of their clients.

Assessment and treatment planning are important parts of the initial stage of recreational therapy. The best course of action for each patient is determined by the recreational therapists who work with clients, their family members, medical staff, and other human services workers. The assessment phase might include looking at medical records and test results, mental health evaluations, and considering input from stakeholders.

Once the assessment is complete, recreational therapists will begin structuring a treatment plan that will address the unique needs of the client. The primary clientele for recreational therapists are people that are aged, and that's why nursing homes and assisted living centers are popular. Employment settings like residential care facilities that specialize in treating disorders and substance abuse are common.

A State Board of Physical Therapy

A high school degree is required to become a physical therapy assistant or physical therapy aide. Most states require physical therapist assistants to have associate's degrees. Physical therapy aides have a high school degree.

It is important to know that each of the 50 states has their own regulations for physical therapy assistants. You can connect with your state board by visiting The Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy. There are a lot of other resources available for students and candidates, such as a handbook, practice tools, and information the national exam.

It is important to know if the school has been accredited. It is important for employers and the government to know that you have completed a program at an accredited school. The American Physical Therapy Association is a national agency that accredits programs.