Occupational therapists and physical therapists reply on assistants to help them implement the treatment plans for their patients. Such professionals are referred to as occupational therapist assistants (OTAs) and physical therapy assistants (PTAs), respectively. Although they belong to the therapeutic branch of the health care industry, OTAs and PTAs do have their differences. The role of OTAs is wider than that of PTAs. PTAs help physical therapists in rehabilitating patients who are physically impaired. With OTAs and occupational therapists, however, they are not just concerned with physical impairments, but emotional, mental and developmental ones as well. This is why the work of OTAs is classified in occupational therapy, since the goal is to help impaired people to perform "occupations" or their day-to-day activities by themselves such as walking, bathing, going to work and exercising.
However, there are certain states within the country which would require their occupation therapist assistants or simply known as OTA to have their license or perhaps registration while other states would only require certification from their school attended. It all depends on the State's law and some states have stricter regulations while others have lenient laws with regards to this matter.
With regards to the employment opportunities for these two occupations, it has been projected that by the year 2012 and 2013 the rate of demand would be higher than the previous years simply because the population of people aged 50 years and beyond are also rising in the country. Even those individuals who only have high school diploma but have undergone training can certainly get a job as an occupational therapist aides. However, if you live in a community where there is a tight competition in the said industry it would be best if one has a certification of training as well as an associate degree.
Nature of Profession
Both occupational therapists and aides work hand in hand with a certified occupational therapist. They are tasked to give assistance to the patient in order to ensure that patients who are suffering from mental and physical disabilities will be totally healed so that the patient can live a normal life again.
The work of an OTA (occupational therapist assistant) might involve collaborating with an OT (occupational therapist). The actual OTA would make sure that the rehabilitative physical activities of the patient will be carried out as proposed by the OT. Depending on the patient's severity of case, the physical actions may involve simple motor skill exercises to complicated activities for the treatment of the individual's physical or mental impairment. Such activities as teaching the actual patient how to maneuver his own wheelchair as well as demonstrating to the patient how you can properly execute an exercise to ease the tension from the muscle are part of an assistant's job. They're also tasked to keep track of the patient's daily progress so that the therapist may see if there is any good enhancement with the status of the person's health. If there is any good progress with regards to the patient's health it means that the treatment is effective or else it would mean that the patient is not reacting well to his layed out treatment or it may also imply that the assistant is not performing his job by guiding the patient the proper way to execute the therapy. Aside from the above tasks the assistants are also expected to send the patient's bill in order to his primary health insurance to ensure that charges will be directly used with his insurance.
However, there are certain states within the country which would require their occupation therapist assistants or simply known as OTA to have their license or perhaps registration while other states would only require certification from their school attended. It all depends on the State's law and some states have stricter regulations while others have lenient laws with regards to this matter.
With regards to the employment opportunities for these two occupations, it has been projected that by the year 2012 and 2013 the rate of demand would be higher than the previous years simply because the population of people aged 50 years and beyond are also rising in the country. Even those individuals who only have high school diploma but have undergone training can certainly get a job as an occupational therapist aides. However, if you live in a community where there is a tight competition in the said industry it would be best if one has a certification of training as well as an associate degree.
Nature of Profession
Both occupational therapists and aides work hand in hand with a certified occupational therapist. They are tasked to give assistance to the patient in order to ensure that patients who are suffering from mental and physical disabilities will be totally healed so that the patient can live a normal life again.
The work of an OTA (occupational therapist assistant) might involve collaborating with an OT (occupational therapist). The actual OTA would make sure that the rehabilitative physical activities of the patient will be carried out as proposed by the OT. Depending on the patient's severity of case, the physical actions may involve simple motor skill exercises to complicated activities for the treatment of the individual's physical or mental impairment. Such activities as teaching the actual patient how to maneuver his own wheelchair as well as demonstrating to the patient how you can properly execute an exercise to ease the tension from the muscle are part of an assistant's job. They're also tasked to keep track of the patient's daily progress so that the therapist may see if there is any good enhancement with the status of the person's health. If there is any good progress with regards to the patient's health it means that the treatment is effective or else it would mean that the patient is not reacting well to his layed out treatment or it may also imply that the assistant is not performing his job by guiding the patient the proper way to execute the therapy. Aside from the above tasks the assistants are also expected to send the patient's bill in order to his primary health insurance to ensure that charges will be directly used with his insurance.
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