Recreational Therapist

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 crafts. May assess a patient condition and recommend appropriate recreational activity.

O*NET reports this occupation under titles such as: Activities Coordinator; Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS); General Activities Therapist; Recreation Therapist; Recreational Therapist; Recreational Therapy Program Coordinator; Rehabilitation Therapist; Therapeutic Recreation Specialist; Therapeutic Specialist; Therapist

Tasks

• Instruct patient in activities and techniques, such as sports, dance, music, art, or relaxation techniques, designed to meet their specific physical or psychological needs.
• Conduct therapy sessions to improve patients' mental and physical well-being.
• 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.
• 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.
• Obtain information from medical records, medical staff, family members and the patients, themselves, to assess patients' capabilities, needs and interests.
• Confer with members of treatment team to plan and evaluate therapy programs.
• Counsel and encourage patients to develop leisure activities.
• 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.
• Prepare and submit reports and charts to treatment team to reflect patients' reactions and evidence of progress or regression.
• Develop discharge plans for patients.

Knowledge

• Psychology
• Therapy and Counseling
• Customer and Personal Service
• Education and Training
• English Language
• Sociology and Anthropology
• Administration and Management
• Medicine and Dentistry
• Public Safety and Security

Skills

• Active Listening
• Speaking
• Reading Comprehension
• Writing
• Critical Thinking
• Active Learning
• Learning Strategies
• Monitoring

Abilities

• Oral Comprehension
• Oral Expression
• Speech Clarity
• Written Comprehension
• Written Expression
• Problem Sensitivity
• Deductive Reasoning
• Inductive Reasoning
• Speech Recognition
• Information Ordering
• Originality
• Fluency of Ideas
• Category Flexibility
• Near Vision
• Flexibility of Closure
• Selective Attention
• Time Sharing
• Far Vision