What is the difference between recreational therapy and occupational therapy

Legislators need to be educated about the important differences between occupational therapy and recreational therapy, including educational and experience requirements.

Washington state has registration, which is a level less than licensure, and California has title protection, which restricts the use of the term recreation therapists to only those who have met certain educational requirements. In , two states, Kentucky and Pennsylvania, introduced legislation that licensed recreation therapists. Each time legislation is introduced, AOTA works with the state association on a strategy for dealing with the legislation.

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Difference in focus and purpose The Department of Recreation Management and Policy's Undergraduate Curriculum states: Each of these career options is an allied health profession. What does it feel like to be an Occupational Therapy Assistant? This type of therapy can help older adults to achieve more independence by working closely with them to overcome their daily challenges.

Individuals who want to specialize in geriatric occupational therapy must obtain their Board Certification in Gerontology BCG. To be eligible for this certification also offered by AOTA, you will need to have a completed application form, an application fee, a professional degree in occupational therapy, proof of certification from an AOTA-recognized regulatory body, and more.

Part of daily living includes feeding, eating and swallowing. Occupational therapists in this field [PDF, KB] specialize in providing assistance and management to individuals who are struggling with their ability to participate in any of these activities.

Those seeking a specialty certification in feeding, eating and swallowing will have to submit an application that includes a completed application form, an application fee, and proof of certification from an AOTA-recognized regulatory body, among other requirements.

Contact AOTA for a list of all required application materials. Low vision occupational therapists achieve this by teaching their patients new skills, modifying their tasks or making changes to their environments, and at times, collaborating with vision experts such as optometrists, ophthalmologists and teachers of the visually impaired.

Similar to the specialty certifications detailed above, you will have to submit a completed application form and fee, proof of certification from an AOTA-recognized regulatory body, and more.

School setting occupational therapists focus on helping students succeed in their school environment. Mental health occupational therapists support children, youth, adults and elderly persons with severe or persistent mental illnesses.

Therapists may use daily occupations such as cleaning, cooking, writing and more to enhance mental health and wellness. To be eligible for this certification, you must have a professional degree in OT and be licensed by an AOTA-recognized regulatory body. Contact AOTA for a full list of required application materials.

Individuals who live with physical disabilities may face challenges that make it difficult for them to complete daily tasks such as completing chores, driving, and doing work independently.

Occupational therapists work closely with those who have physical impairments to help them return to their daily routines. Individuals may consider physical rehabilitation occupational therapy if they are recovering from an illness, injury or disability.

One aspect of independent living is to be able to have access to your community and feel engaged within it. Driving can play a role in this. Occupational therapists can use their skills to help individuals get around their community safely. To help a patient perform daily tasks to the best of their ability, occupational therapists may make modifications to that patient's home or surrounding environment. This gives patients a chance to do more daily activities in a safe and comfortable manner.

Occupational therapists will look at features in the home that may pose a safety hazard, such as loose pieces of furniture or exposed electrical cords and outlets. Occupational therapists believe that all individuals should have and enjoy a productive and independent life, despite their age or physical ability. Yet, many professional health care workers strive to improve the functioning of people that have been afflicted by health difficulties.

One such professional, who uses fun activities as a therapeutic treatment, is a recreational therapist. Recreational therapists are highly trained workers that utilize leisure activities as a primary intervention for addressing social, emotional, cognitive, and physical ailments. The work of recreational therapists is just one aspect of a much larger group effort toward rehabilitation. Recreational therapists often work as part of a team that includes, but is not limited to, occupational and physical therapists, speech therapists, psychiatrists, and nursing staff.

In addition to taking a unique approach to treatment, recreational therapists also have a unique relationship with their clients. Individuals employed as a recreational therapist have a unique toolkit by which to bring about therapeutic change. Using everything from therapy animals to arts and crafts to music and dance, recreational therapists endeavor to improve the well-being of their clientele.

Much of the initial stage of recreational therapy involves assessment and treatment planning. Recreational therapists work with clients, their family members, medical staff, and other human services workers to determine the best course of action for each patient.

The assessment phase might involve examining medical records and test results, mental health evaluations, making firsthand observations, and considering input from the aforementioned stakeholders. Once a proper assessment is complete, recreational therapists go about structuring a treatment plan that will address the unique needs of the client.

The ways in which recreational therapists go about performing their work varies from one employment setting to another. Those who work with geriatric patients might focus on increasing social interaction.

Focusing on group activities such as games, exercising, and dancing might achieve this. Work with geriatric clients might also include outings into the community such that clients have the opportunity to get some much-needed time outdoors and away from their residence, nursing home, or assisted living center.

A prime example of recreational therapy for these patients would be a picnic outing at a local park. Recreational therapists that work with hospital-bound patients would take a different approach to facilitating improved social and emotional functioning.

For example, work with terminally-ill children might involve activities to boost their spirits, such as plays, visits from therapy animals, and games. When working with other hospital patients, such as those that have a severe physical disability, like paralysis, recreational therapists might focus instead on activities that promote rebuilding some physical strength and skill.

For example, when working with a patient that has paralysis on his or her left side, a recreational therapist might choose activities that promote improved coordination on the right side. This might take the form of learning to shoot baskets, swing a badminton racket, or throw a bean back with their functional side. For residents of a long-term care facility, the duties of a recreational therapist might be more toward providing interventions that promote overall health and wellness.

For example, in a residential treatment facility for individuals that have a cognitive disability, a recreational therapist might use arts and crafts time to teach residents about following rules, maintaining a clean and safe workspace, sharing, and other essential skills for daily living.

Conversely, in a long-term care facility that caters to clients that are recovering from a major surgery, recreational therapists would instead focus on physical activities that promote muscle strength, stability, and flexibility, such as light aerobics or aquatic therapy.

Recreational therapists enjoy the capability of working in a wide variety of settings. However, the largest number of workers in this field are employed in a hospital setting. State hospitals, such as those for mentally ill patients, HMOs, federal hospitals such as those for veterans of the armed forces, and private hospitals are among those that most often employ recreation therapists.

Another popular work environment for recreational therapists is in nursing homes and assisted living centers, where the primary clientele are those that are aged. Residential care facilities, including those that specialize in treating a specific issue like substance abuse or eating disorders, are common employment settings as well.

Many local and state governments employ recreation therapists as well. For example, a local parks and recreation department might employ a recreation therapist to lead community-based events that promote social, emotional, and physical health. To a lesser degree, recreational therapists also work in health care services settings, such as those that specialize in ambulatory care. Becoming a recreational therapist requires extensive schooling and training.

Undergraduate programs involve a variety of coursework, including psychology, anatomy and physiology, and the use of medical equipment and assistive devices. An internship component is often required as well. Undergraduate work typically takes at least four years of full-time study, after which graduates can enter the workforce in an entry-level position or choose to continue their schooling and earn a graduate degree.