Recreation Therapy—Career Opportunities

Nature of Work
Recreation therapists work with individuals who have mental, physical or emotional disabilities. Select activity modalities are utilized to treat or maintain the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of consumers served. These interventions help individuals remediate the effects of illness or disability and achieve an optimal level of personal independence. The goals of interventions include improving physical, cognitive, and social functioning.

Recreation therapists work as members of an interdisciplinary team. Relevant information about the patient is gathered from client assessment medical records, medical staff, and family members. Individual treatment plans and programs are developed consistent with client need, abilities and interests.
For more information on recreation therapy as a career, please visit this link provided by the Health Professions Network www.healthpronet.org/ahp_month/07_04.html

Employment Settings

• Adult Day Care Centers
• Alcohol and Drug Treatment Centers
• Camps
• Physical Rehabilitation Hospitals
• Psychiatric Rehabilitation Hospitals
• Residential Facilities
• Schools
• Skilled Care Nursing Facilities
• Special Recreation Associations

Related Job Titles 
Therapeutic recreation specialist, case manager, rehabilitation counselor, activity director, outreach coordinator, leisure education coordinator, recreation therapist, volunteer coordinator, senior care specialist

Employment Outlook 
Employment of recreation therapists is expected to grow because of anticipated expansion of long term care, physical and psychiatric rehabilitation, and services for the disabled. Fast employment growth is expected in assisted living, outpatient physical and psychiatric rehabilitation facilities, and services for people with disabilities. Hospitals will provide a large number of recreation therapy jobs, with additional jobs provided by long-term rehabilitation and psychiatric hospitals. Healthcare facilities will provide a growing number of jobs in hospital-based adult day care and outpatient programs and in units offering short-term mental health and alcohol or drug abuse services. The rapid growing number of older persons is expected to spur job growth for activity directors in nursing homes, retirement communities, adult day care programs and social service agencies. Continued growth is expected in community residential facilities, park districts and day care programs for people with disabilities.

Salary Information 
In May 2006, median annual earnings of recreation workers who worked full time were $20,470. The middle 50 percent earned between $16,360 and $27,050. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $14,150, while the highest paid 10 percent earned $35,780 or more. However, earnings of recreation directors and others in supervisory or managerial positions can be substantially higher. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2007. (http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes291125.htm)