Occupational Therapy Assistant

When searching for a career, many people want a job that will be rewarding. One job that fulfills this need is an occupational therapy assistant. An occupational therapy assistant, also known as an “OTA,” is someone who makes it possible for people to achieve everyday tasks which they normally could not do. These tasks include eating, getting dressed, bathing, and many more “typical” tasks. It is not easy to become an OTA. There is a long process that needs to be completed. This includes, difficult college classes, applying to an OTA program, licensing, training, and certifications. Many other factors come into play when deciding if being an occupational therapy assistant is the right career such as, salary, job outlook, job opportunities,

Reasons for working with children is to help prevent developmental delays. Children with disabilities need help with their cognitive skills, motor skills, and sensory skills. Working in the area of health and wellness means working with a patient who may have arthritis. This is one of many different issues a patient may have. OTA’s are trying to help these patients control pain, teach how to manage inflammation, and even improve self-esteem. The area of mental health is working with patients who have down syndrome and need help with everyday tasks. They need to gain independence through self-care activities such as, eating, drinking, bathing, or brushing their teeth. (What Does an Occupational Therapy Assistant Do,

Most states require licensing. This requires, graduating from an accredited program, completing field work, and taking and passing the, “National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy,” also known as NBCOT. After passing this exam the current job title would be, “Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant.” There are also special certifications to become specialized in low vision, eating, feeding, or swallowing. Specializing in one of these areas would show advanced skills that other OTA’s may not have. (Occupational, 2017) The health care industry is always growing and needing more workers. Occupational therapy has an extremely bright job outlook. According to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of occupational therapy assistants is projected to grow 29 percent from 2016 to 2026, which is much faster than other occupations. (Occupational, 2017) A reason for such a high outlook is because of the baby-boom generation becoming older which means more health implications. Becoming older can affect their ability to perform everyday