Occupational therapists make a difference in the lives of people of all ages. As a result, if you would like to become one, you should be positive, compassionate, flexible, patient, and have great interpersonal skills.
Occupational therapist assistants teach individuals how to overcome the challenges of performing daily activities because of an injury, illness, or disability. Occupational therapy assistants are directly involved in providing therapy to patients. Occupation therapy assistants (OTA) work across many areas. They work with children who are at risk for developing disabilities, helping them improve their motor skills, cognitive skills, and sensory processing to minimize the potential of developmental delays. They also help people with arthritis, teaching them how to manage their inflammation or identifying orthotic devices that help them control pain, which improves their self-esteem. In addition, OTAs help people overcome physical challenges, recommending mobility changes to everyday equipment such as adding foot straps to bicycle pedals. OTAs teach individuals with Down syndrome how to gain their independence through self-care activities such as eating, dressing, and playing. OTAs also help dementia patients through behavioral interventions (treatment plans), addressing personality changes that are concerning their families and caregivers. Lastly, OTAs help employees with work-related lower back injuries through supervised therapeutic exercises, work reconditioning, and on-site intervention. OTAs can work in homes, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, schools, skilled nursing homes, therapists’ offices, and workplaces.