Recreational Therapists
SOC: 29-1125.00

Description:

Plan, direct, or coordinate medically-approved recreation programs for patients in hospitals, nursing homes, or other institutions. Activities include sports, trips, dramatics, social activities, and arts and crafts. May assess a patient condition and recommend appropriate recreational activity.

National Salary Information:

Hourly Statistics:

Annual Statistics:

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2015 wage data.

Employment Projections:

Employment (2014):
18,600 employed

Projected (2024):
20,900 employed

Projected growth (2014-2024)


Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2015 2014-2024 employment projections external site. "Projected growth" represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2014-2024). "Projected job openings" represent openings due to growth and replacement.

Alternate Titles:

  • Activities Director
  • Activity Assistant
  • Activity Coordinator
  • Activity Director
  • Activity Therapist
  • Adventure Therapist
  • Art Therapist
  • Certified Recreational Therapist
  • Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS)
  • Child Life Therapist
  • Creative Arts Therapist
  • Dance Therapist
  • Director of Therapeutic Activities
  • Director of Therapeutic Recreation
  • Drama Therapist
  • Ecotherapist
  • General Activities Therapist
  • Horticultural Therapist
  • Music Therapist
  • Music Therapist (Rehabilitation)
  • Recreation Director
  • Recreation Therapist
  • Recreational Therapist
  • Recreational Therapy Aide
  • Recreational Therapy Technician
  • Rehabilitation Therapist
  • Therapeutic Recreation Specialist
  • Therapeutic Riding Instructor
  • Therapeutic Specialist
  • Therapist

    • Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed

    Experience:

    A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.

    Education:

    Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

    Job Training:

    Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

    Required Skills:

  • Reading Comprehension
  • Active Listening
  • Writing
  • Speaking
  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • Critical Thinking
  • Active Learning
  • Learning Strategies
  • Monitoring
  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Coordination
  • Persuasion
  • Negotiation
  • Instructing
  • Service Orientation
  • Complex Problem Solving
  • Operations Analysis
  • Technology Design
  • Programming
  • Operation Monitoring
  • Operation and Control
  • Troubleshooting
  • Quality Control Analysis
  • Judgment and Decision Making
  • Systems Analysis
  • Systems Evaluation
  • Time Management
  • Management of Financial Resources
  • Management of Material Resources
  • Management of Personnel Resources

    • Knowledge Used:

  • Administration and Management
  • Clerical
  • Economics and Accounting
  • Sales and Marketing
  • Customer and Personal Service
  • Personnel and Human Resources
  • Production and Processing
  • Food Production
  • Computers and Electronics
  • Engineering and Technology
  • Design
  • Mechanical
  • Mathematics
  • Physics
  • Chemistry
  • Biology
  • Psychology
  • Sociology and Anthropology
  • Geography
  • Medicine and Dentistry
  • Therapy and Counseling
  • Education and Training
  • English Language
  • Foreign Language
  • Fine Arts
  • History and Archeology
  • Philosophy and Theology
  • Public Safety and Security
  • Law and Government
  • Telecommunications
  • Communications and Media
  • Transportation

    • Tasks:

  • Observe, analyze, and record patients' participation, reactions, and progress during treatment sessions, modifying treatment programs as needed.
  • Develop treatment plan to meet needs of patient, based on needs assessment, patient interests and objectives of therapy.
  • Encourage clients with special needs and circumstances to acquire new skills and get involved in health-promoting leisure activities, such as sports, games, arts and crafts, and gardening.
  • Counsel and encourage patients to develop leisure activities.
  • Confer with members of treatment team to plan and evaluate therapy programs.
  • Conduct therapy sessions to improve patients' mental and physical well-being.
  • Instruct patient in activities and techniques, such as sports, dance, music, art or relaxation techniques, designed to meet their specific physical or psychological needs.
  • Obtain information from medical records, medical staff, family members and the patients themselves to assess patients' capabilities, needs and interests.
  • Plan, organize, direct and participate in treatment programs and activities to facilitate patients' rehabilitation, help them integrate into the community and prevent further medical problems.
  • Prepare and submit reports and charts to treatment team to reflect patients' reactions and evidence of progress or regression.

    • Tools & Technology:

  • 35 millimeter cameras
  • Acoustic guitars
  • Archery bows
  • Audio tape recorders
  • Baseball bats
  • Baseballs
  • Basketballs
  • Bicycles
  • Bowling balls
  • Canoes
  • Compact disk CD players
  • Croquet sets
  • Desktop computers
  • Digital audio recorders
  • Digital camcorders
  • Digital cameras
  • Digital drumsticks
  • Drum sets
  • Electronic keyboards
  • Electronic metronomes
  • Exercise bicycles
  • Fishing poles
  • Fluidotherapy equipment
  • Footballs
  • Free weights
  • Golf clubs
  • Handbells
  • Harmonicas
  • Headpointers
  • Kayaks
  • Laptop computers
  • Motorized wheelchairs
  • Oil painting brushes
  • Patient hoists
  • Personal computers
  • Pianos
  • Ping pong paddles
  • Pool cues
  • Pottery wheels
  • Racing wheelchairs
  • Recreational rowboats
  • Recreational sailboats
  • Shuffleboard equipment
  • Skeet shooting equipment
  • Snow skis
  • Softballs
  • Tennis rackets
  • Therapeutic treadmills
  • Therapeutic weight machines
  • Volleyballs
  • Water skis
  • Wood carving tools
  • Avid Technology Sibelius
  • Data entry software
  • Email software
  • Hyperscore
  • MakeMusic Finale
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Word
  • Musical instrument digital interface MIDI software
  • Patient electronic medical record EMR software
  • Speech recognition software
  • Steinberg Media Technologies Cubase software
  • Web browser software

    • healthcare practitioners and technical

    industry stats

    SOC: 29-0000

    Total Employed: 8,021,800

    Average Annual Salary: $77,800