Occupational Therapy Assistants

Select therapy activities to fit patients' needs and capabilities.

Monitor patients' performance in therapy activities, providing encouragement.

Instruct, or assist in instructing, patients and families in home programs, basic living skills, or the care and use of adaptive equipment.

Observe and record patients' progress, attitudes, and behavior and maintain this information in client records.

Maintain and promote a positive attitude toward clients and their treatment programs.

Aid patients in dressing and grooming themselves.

Implement, or assist occupational therapists with implementing, treatment plans designed to help clients function independently.

Communicate and collaborate with other healthcare professionals involved with the care of a patient.

Evaluate the daily living skills or capacities of physically, developmentally, or emotionally disabled clients.

Attend continuing education classes.

Report to supervisors, verbally or in writing, on patients' progress, attitudes, and behavior.

Alter treatment programs to obtain better results if treatment is not having the intended effect.

Work under the direction of occupational therapists to plan, implement, or administer educational, vocational, or recreational programs that restore or enhance performance in individuals with functional impairments.

Teach patients how to deal constructively with their emotions.

Demonstrate therapy techniques, such as manual or creative arts or games.

Perform clerical duties, such as scheduling appointments, collecting data, or documenting health insurance billings.

Assemble, clean, or maintain equipment or materials for patient use.

Attend care plan meetings to review patient progress and update care plans.

Order any needed educational or treatment supplies.

Transport patients to and from the occupational therapy work area.

Assist educational specialists or clinical psychologists in administering situational or diagnostic tests to measure client's abilities or progress.

Design, fabricate, or repair assistive devices or make adaptive changes to equipment or environments.