Will “Occupational Therapists” be Replaced By Robots? 🤔

Job Description

Assess, plan, organize, and participate in rehabilitative programs that help build or restore vocational, homemaking, and daily living skills, as well as general independence, to persons with disabilities or developmental delays.

Job Details

• The SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code is 29-1122.00
• The Mean Annual Wage in the U.S. is $ 83,730.00
• The Mean Hourly Wage is $ 40.00
• Currently, there are 118,070 people on this job

Also Known As…

• Staff Therapist
• Staff Occupational Therapist
• Rehabilitation Supervisor
• Registered Occupational Therapist
• Pediatric Occupational Therapist
• Occupational Therapy Co-Director
• Occupational Therapist (OT)
• Industrial Rehabilitation Consultant
• Early Intervention Occupational Therapist
• Assistive Technology Trainer
• Vocational Trainer
• Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist
• Rehabilitation Engineer
• Job Trainer
• Industrial Therapist
• Independent Living Specialist

Tasks for “Occupational Therapists”

• Complete and maintain necessary records.
• Conduct research in occupational therapy.
• Evaluate patients' progress and prepare reports that detail progress.
• Develop and participate in health promotion programs, group activities, or discussions to promote client health, facilitate social adjustment, alleviate stress, and prevent physical or mental disability.
• Provide training and supervision in therapy techniques and objectives for students or nurses and other medical staff.
• Plan and implement programs and social activities to help patients learn work or school skills and adjust to handicaps.
• Design and create, or requisition, special supplies and equipment, such as splints, braces, and computer-aided adaptive equipment.
• Test and evaluate patients' physical and mental abilities and analyze medical data to determine realistic rehabilitation goals for patients.
• Train caregivers how to provide for the needs of a patient during and after therapy.
• Recommend changes in patients' work or living environments, consistent with their needs and capabilities.
• Lay out materials such as puzzles, scissors and eating utensils for use in therapy, and clean and repair these tools after therapy sessions.
• Advise on health risks in the workplace or on health-related transition to retirement.
• Select activities that will help individuals learn work and life-management skills within limits of their mental or physical capabilities.
• Plan, organize, and conduct occupational therapy programs in hospital, institutional, or community settings to help rehabilitate those impaired because of illness, injury or psychological or developmental problems.
• Consult with rehabilitation team to select activity programs or coordinate occupational therapy with other therapeutic activities.
• Provide patients with assistance in locating or holding jobs.
• Help clients improve decision making, abstract reasoning, memory, sequencing, coordination, and perceptual skills, using computer programs.

Related Technology & Tools

• Trackpads
• Mechanical stethoscopes
• Manual blood pressure cuffs
• Power sanders
• Computer switch interfaces
• Alternative computer keyboards
• Orthotics
• Voice output communication aids
• Personal digital assistants PDA
• Drill presses
• Looms
• Pulleys
• Lathes
• Splints
• Electronic blood pressure units
• Saws
• Sewing machines
• Hoists
• Electric wheelchairs
• Video magnifiers
• Single-cut mill saw files
• Video cameras
• Gait and transfer belts
• Wheeled walkers
• Laptop computers
• Electric knives
• Joy sticks
• Resistive exercise bands
• Personal computers
• Scooters
• Pressure care garments
• Lift chairs
• Wheelchairs
• Braille printers
• Adaptive cutlery
• Wobble switches
• Tongue switches
• Adjustable beds
• Weights
• Goniometers
• Portable scanning pens
• Power drills
• Switch use tools
• Exercise balls
• Soldering irons
• Trackballs

• HMS
• Language arts educational software
• Social studies educational software
• Microsoft Office
• Spreadsheet software
• Synapse Adaptive Connect Outloud
• Lexrotech LxPediatric
• Rehab Documentation Company ReDoc Suite
• Math educational software
• Internet browser software
• Text to speech software
• Microsoft Excel
• Physical education educational software
• Microsoft Word
• Word processing software
• Casamba Smart
• Mayer-Johnson Boardmaker
• Email software
• Screen reader software
• Text scanning software
• Screen magnification software
• BillingTracker
• Text reader software
• Music software
• FileMaker Pro
• Speech recognition software
• Crick Software Clicker 4
• Tactile graphic production kits software
• OpenOffice WRITER
• Science educational software
• Special education educational software
• Duxbury Braille Translator
• Computer drawing software