What Does an Occupational Therapist Do?
The range of occupations and work that occupational therapists (OTs) perform is very broad, as the work they do is focused on helping a range of people to maintain their participation in their day-to-day activities, whether it is their work, social activities, hobbies, movement, self-care, home care, or any activity they wish to do.
Because they support a diverse range of activities and with different goals, occupational therapists may engage in physical therapy, equipment, and environmental adaptation, the adaptation of the patient’s goals according to their limitations, emotional therapy, adaptation in different spaces, social acceptance, etc.
What Do Occupational Therapists Do?
Some examples of roles performed by occupational therapists around the world are:
- Supporting the adaptation of mentally ill patients to an environment in which they can exercise their independence so that they can be part of the community and live as independently as possible (e.g., patients with schizophrenia, mental disorders such as bipolar disorder, etc.).
- Improve the insertion into the community of people who are not generally considered to be able to be independent on their own, for example, in cases of severe autism, so that they can participate in the same activities as the rest of the community.
- To rehabilitate people who are recovering from hospitalization, who, for example, have suffered a brain injury, a car accident, or a stroke and who have problems moving, speaking, communicating, or remembering, so that they can gradually regain their independence or adapt to the new situations in the best possible way with or without the help of physical aids.
- Working with children in schools, either with children who need alternative education to improve their literacy skills or, in general, to make it easier for all children to learn and thrive in their studies and school life. They also work with the school environment, teachers, and students to support the insertion of children with different abilities into the same school environment.
- Supporting conditions such as arthritis, or multiple sclerosis, where patients will often have their lives permanently affected and need special facilities to use their wheelchairs and equipment, and helping them understand how to better make use of the equipment they need at home or work.
Overall, occupational therapists provide education in all possible environments to ensure that people who have undergone changes or who have differences in their physical and mental abilities can adapt to an environment free of discrimination, with all the facilities that will help them to do their work and be valued as equals. Their work is especially important so people can thrive in all places.
What’s the Average Occupational Therapist’s Salary?
The average occupational therapist salary, according to the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics, is $85,570 per year, or $41.14 per hour. Of course, this salary varies greatly between different states and cities due in part to the fact that OT jobs are so erratic (they can work in very different environments) and that the cost of living is different according to the region. Nevertheless, it is important to note that many jobs for OTs have higher hourly wages, such as per diem jobs or PRN jobs, which are temporary. These per diem or PRN jobs have many advantages for occupational therapists, for example:
- Set their own hours and work times, allowing them to fit their job into their lifestyle.
- They also have the advantage of working with a wider range of patients and settings in a shorter time frame, as they are constantly changing workspaces, allowing for professional growth.
- They can earn more per hour, so their earning potential is higher.
- They can work only PRN jobs and have a greater degree of job independence if they can be organized.
- They can travel more often, and get to know new places, thanks to the flexibility that PRN jobs offer.
Because there are so many advantages, more and more OTs decide to take these PRN jobs and have a higher overall annual income.
How to Find an Occupational Therapist Near Me?
In general, to find a local occupational therapist, you can seek support from the American Occupational Therapy Association. They provide a website that lists accredited colleges and programs or OT associations to contact the OT you need. It is also necessary to find an OT who has the qualities you need for each case, but in general, the best OTs are very patient, are qualified professionals, and are very empathetic to their patients and families. Their profession demands that they be people of great heart and nobility.
The work of occupational therapists is highly important since it is thanks to their constant and tireless work that more and more people can be inserted into the work system again.
