1. CAREERS IN REHABILITATION

2. REHABILITATION CAREERS
Audiology
Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapist
Occupational Therapy Assistant
Physical Therapy
Physical Therapist Assistant

3. Recreational Therapist
Speech and Language Pathology

4. AUDIOLOGY
Audiologists are experts in the non-medical management of the auditory and balance systems
Work with people who have hearing, balance, and related ear problems
Hearing disorders can result from a variety of causes including trauma at birth, viral infections, genetic disorders, exposure to loud noise, certain medications, or aging

5. WHAT AUDIOLOGISTS DO? They evaluate and treat
Normal and impaired hearing
Prevention of hearing loss
Identification and assessment of hearing
and balance disorders
In addition, audiologists may design hearing instruments and testing equipment
Conduct research

6. WHERE AUDIOLOGISTS WORK
Public and private schools
Hospitals-acute care and rehabilitation
Long term care facilities
Private practices
Physicians offices
Colleges and universities
Health departments
State and federal government agencies
Industry with hearing conservation programs

7. AUDOLOGIST EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Of the 48 states that require a license to practice audiology, almost all require that individuals have a master’s degree in audiology or the equivalent. By 2012, all new graduates will require a a clinical doctorate. A passing score on a national examination is needed, as well.

8. An additional examination may be required in order to dispense hearing aids
Those with a graduate degree are required by ASHA to obtain the ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC).
To earn the CCC, a person must have a graduate degree and 375 hours of supervised clinical experience, complete a 36-week postgraduate fellowship and pass a written examination

9. COURSEWORK OF AUDIOLOGISTS
Requirements for admission to programs in audiology include courses in English, mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, psychology, and communication sciences.
Graduate courses work in audiology includes anatomy; physiology, physics, genetics, normal and abnormal communication, development, auditory, balance, and neural systems assessment and treatment, ethics, pharmacology, diagnosis and treatment

10. AUDIOLOGISTS- JOB OUTLOOK
Employment of audiologists is expected to grow about as fast as average through 2014
Because hearing loss is strongly associated with aging, rapid growth in the population age 55 and over will cause the number of persons with hearing impairment to increase markedly

11. Members of the baby boom generation are now entering middle age, when the possibility of neurological disorders and associated hearing impairments increases
Medical advances are also improving the survival rate of premature infants and trauma and stroke victims, who then need assessment and possible treatment
Many states require all newborns have hearing screens

12. Employment in educational services will increase along with growth in elementary and secondary school enrollments, including enrollment of special education students.

13. AUDIOLOGISTS EARNINGS
Median annual earnings $51,470 in May 2004
Salaries ranged from 34,990 to 75,990
Median salary for a full time certified audiologists was $53,000
Median salary for certified audiologists with one to three years experience was $45,000
Audiologists held 12,000 jobs in 2004

14. OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY OCCUPATIONAL THERPISTS (OT)
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANTS (OTA)

15. OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
Occupational Therapy enables to do the everyday activities that are important to them despite impairments, activity limitations, or participation restrictions
Occupational therapy practitioners focus on assisting people to engage in daily life activities that they find meaningful and purposeful

16. Occupational therapy practitioners work with people of all ages who, because of illness, injury, or developmental or psychological impairment, need specialized assistance in learning skills to enable them to lead independent, productive, and satisfying lives.

17. WHAT EXACTLY DOES AN OT DO
Help an older person modify their home so they can remain safe and independent as they continue to age
Help a mother who has a disability learn to care for her child independently
Help a child with ADHD focus better in the classroom in order to be successful and learn

18. Help an elderly person with low vision learn to use visual aids so they can live safely and independently
Teach a person who is paralyzed to drive a car with adaptive driving controls
Teach a person who has had a stroke and cannot use one of their arms to dress and bathe independently

19. Teach a mom who has a new baby with a disability the best ways to keep the baby developing as they should
Help a young person with a brain injury keep their day organized
Help a teenager with Down’s Syndrome learn to cook and make a bed so he can be more independent and possible live on his own.

20. Help a person who has depression get back to living through the use of meaningful activities
Design an adaptive piece of equipment for a person with weak arms so they can hold a musical instrument and participate in a band
Help a person who only has a prosthesis care for himself

21. OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANT
Works under direction of Occupational Therapist
May implement the treatment plan developed by the OT
Assist the OT in the gathering of information about the patient’s functions on an ongoing basis
Is especially skilled in the area of functional activities

22. WHERE DO OT PRACTITIONERS WORK
Long Term Care Facilities
School Systems
Skilled Nursing Facilities
Hospitals- Acute and Rehabilitation
Outpatient Facilities
Home Health Agencies
Psychiatric Facilities
Day Treatment Programs
Assisted Living Facilities

23. Employment Settings- Industrial Rehab Programs
Private Practice
Driving Programs
Neonatal Intensive Care Units
Community Based Programs

24. Educational Requirements
Occupational Therapist- As of January 1, all new graduates will require a post-baccalaureate entry-level degree (Masters or doctorate)
Occupational Therapy Assistant- Associates degree from an accredited 2 year educational program

25. Coursework for Professional-Level Students
Physical, biological, and behavioral sciences
Human anatomy, kinesiology, neuroanatomy
Psychololgy, sociology, group process
Occupational therapy theory application
Extensive Study of disease process and disability
At least 6 months of clinical field work

26. OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY- JOB OUTLOOK
Employment of occupational therapists is expected to increase much faster than average through 2014
Hospitals will continue to employe a large number of occupational therapists to provide therapy to inpatients and outpatients
Employment growth in schools is will result from the expanison of the school-age population and extended services for disabled students.

27. Employment growth in schools will result from the expansion of the school-age population and extended services for disabled students. Therapist will be needed to help children with disabilities prepare to enter special education programs.
Occupation therapists held about 85,683 jobs in 2003

28. OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS EARNINGS
Median annual earnings of occupational therapists were $54,660 in May 2004.
Highest salary was $81,600 and the lowest was $37,430.

29. Home health care services $58,720
Offices of other health practitioners $56,620
Nursing care facilities $56,570
General medical and surgical hospitals $55,710
Elementary and secondary schools $48, 580

30. OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANTS EARNINGS
Median annual earning of occupational therpist assistants were $38,430 in May 2004
Highest salary $52,700 and the lowest was $25,880
Offices of other practitioners- $40,130

31. RECREATIONAL THERAPY RECREATIONAL THERAPISTS (THERAPEUTIC RECREATION
SPECIALISTS)

32. RECREATIONAL THERAPY
A recreational therapist utilizes a wide range of activity and community based interventions and techniques to improve the physical, cognitive, emotional, social, and leisure needs of their clients.
Recreational therpists assist clients to develop skills, knowledge, and behaviors for daily living and community involvement.

33. The recreational therapist works with the client and their family to incorporate specific interests and community resources into therapy to achieve optimal outcomes that transfer to their real life situation.

34. WHAT EXACTLY DOES A RECREATIONAL THERAPIST DO
Recreational therapists assess clients on the basis of information the therapists learn from standardized assessments, observations, medical records, the medical staff, the client’s families, and the clients themselves. They then develop and carry out therapeutic interventions consistent with the clients’ needs and interests. Examples:

35. Clients who are isolated from others or who have limited social skills may be encouraged to play games with others
Right-handed persons with right-sided paralysis may be instructed in how to adapt to using their unaffected left side to throw a ball or swing a racket

36. Recreational therapists may instruct patients in relaxation techniques to reduce stress and tension, stretching and limbering exercises, proper body mechanics and participation in recreation activities, pacing and energy conservation techniques, and individual as well as team activities.

37. WHERE RECREATIONAL THERAPISTS WORK
Community-based recreational therapists may work in park and recreation departments, special-education programs for school districts, or programs for older adults, and people with disabilities.
Included in the last group are programs and facilities such as assisted-living, adult daycare, and substance abuse rehabilitation centers.

38. Although most recreational therapists are employed in other areas, those who work in schools help counselors, teachers, and parents address the special needs of students, including easing disabled students’ transition into adult life.

39. RECREATIONAL THERAPISTS EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS
A bachelor’s degree in therapeutic recreation, or in recreation with a concentration in therapeutic recreation, is the usual requirement for entry-level positions.
Person may qualify for paraprofessional positions with an associate degree in therapeutic recreation or a healthcare-related field.

40. An associate degree in recreational therapy; training in art, drama, or music therapy; or qualifying work experience may be sufficient for activity director positions in nursing homes.

41. RECREATIONAL THERAPY COURSEWORK
Programs include courses in assessment, treatment and program planning, intervention design, and evaluation.
Students also study human anatomy, physiology, abnormal psychology, medical, and psychiatric terminology, characteristics of illnesses and disabilities, professionals ethics, and the use of assistive devices and technology.

42. RECREATIONAL THERAPISTS JOB OUTLOOK
Overall employment is expected to grow more slowly than the average through 2014
Nursing care facilities are the largest industry employing recreational therapists
Employment is expected to decline in hospitals as services shift to outpatient setting and employers emphasize cost containment

43. Fast employment growth is expected in the residential and outpatient settings that serve disabled persons, the elderly, or those diagnosed with mental retardation, mental illness, or substance abuse problems
Examples- community care facilities for the elderly including assisted living facilities
Opportunities should be best for persons with a bachelor’s degree in therapeutic recreation with an option in therapeutic recreation.
Recreational Therapists held about 24,000 jobs in 2004.

44. Recreational Therapists Earnings
Median annual earnings were $32,900
Middle 50% earned $25,520 to $42,130
Lowest 10% earned $20,130
Highest 10% earned $51,800
Median earnings of those that worked in nursing care facilities $28,130

45. SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY
PATHOLOGISTS
(SLP)

46. SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY
Speech-language pathologists work with people who cannot make speech sounds or cannot make them clearly, those with speech rhythm and fluency problems, such as stuttering, people with voice quality problems, such as inappropriate pitch or harsh voice, those with problems understanding and producing language, those who wish to improve their communication skills by modifying an accent,

47. those with cognitive communications
Impairments, such as attempts, memory, and problem solving disorders, and those with hearing loss who use hearing aids or cochlear implants in order to develop auditory skills and improve communication. They also work with people who have swallowing difficulties.

48. Speech and language difficulties can result from a variety of causes including stroke, brain injury or deterioration, developmental delays, cerebral palsy, cleft palate, voice pathology, mental retardation, hearing impairment, or emotional problems. Problems can be cognitive, developmental, or acquired.

49. WHAT EXACTLY DOES AN SLP DO
Help those who stutter to increase their fluency
Help people who have had strokes or experienced brain trauma to regain lost language and speech
Help children and adolescents who have language disorders to understand and give directions, ask and answer questions, convey ideas, improve the language skills that lead to better academic performance

50. Counsel individuals and families to understand and deal with speech and language disorders
Help individuals learn to swallow after a stroke so they can enjoy regular foods again.

51. WHERE DO SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS WORK
Long term care facilities
School systems
Skilled nursing facilities
Hospitals-acute and rehabilitation
Outpatient facilities
Home Health agencies
Day treatment programs
Assisted living facilities
Private Practice
Neonatal Intensive Care Units
Community based programs

52. SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS EDUCATION
Of the 48 states that regulate licensing, almost all require a master’s degree or equivalent. A passing score on a national examination on speech-language pathology is needed, as well
Other requirements are 300 to 375 hours of supervised clinical experience and 9 months of postgraduate professional clinical experience to earn a Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC)

53. SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS COURSEWORK
Courses cover anatomy and physiology of the areas of the body involved in speech, language, swallowing, and hearing; the nature of disorders; acoustics; and psychological aspects of communication.
Students also learn to evaluate and treat speech, language, swallowing, and hearing disorders and receive supervised clinical training in communication disorders.

54. SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS JOB OUTLOOK
Employment of speech-pathologists is expected to grow about as fast as the average through the year 2014
Medical advances are also improving the survival rate of premature infants and trauma and stroke victims, who then need assessment and possible treatment
Speech-language pathologists held about 96,000 jobs in Half were employed in education settings.

55. SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS EARNINGS
Median annual earnings of speech-language pathologists were 52,410 in May 2004.
The middle 50% $42,090- $65,750
The lowest 10% less than $34,720
The highest 10% earned more than $84,420
Offices of other health practitioners $57,240
General medical & surgical hospitals $55,900
Elementary and secondary schools $48,320

56. PHYSICAL THERAPISTS (PT) ASSISTANTS (PTA)
PHYSICAL THERAPY
PHYSICAL THERAPISTS
(PT)
ASSISTANTS (PTA)

57. PHYSICAL THERAPY
The independent evaluation of human disability, injury, or disease by means of noninvasive tests of neuromuscular functions and other standard procedures of physical therapy, and the treatment of human disability, injury, or disease by therapeutic procedures, embracing the specific scientific application of physical measures to secure the functional rehabilitation of the human body.

58. These measures include the use of therapeutic exercise, therapeutic massage, heat or cold, air, light, water, electricity, or sound for the purpose of correcting or alleviating any physical disability.

59. WHAT EXACTLY DOES A PT DO
Some physical therapists treat a wide range of ailments; others specialize in areas such as pediatrics, geriatrics, orthopedics, sports medicine, neurology, and cardiopulmonary physical therapy
Physical therapists practice in hospitals, clinics, and private offices that have specially equipped facilities, or they treat patients in hospital rooms, homes, or schools

60. Physical therapy practitioners provide services aimed at preventing the onset and/or slowing the progression of conditions resulting from injury, disease, and other causes
The physical therapist provides these services to people of all ages who have functional conditions resulting from back and neck injuries, sprains/strains, and fractures, arthritis, burns, amputations, stroke, multiple sclerosis, birth defects such as cerebral palsy and spina bifida, injuries related to work and sports, and others.

61. PHYSICAL THERPIST ASSISTANT
Assists in the provision of physical therapy and may perform physical therapy interventions selected by the supervising physical therapist.
The physical therapist assistant works under the direction and supervision of the physical therapist, helping manage conditions such as back and neck injuries, sprains/strains and fractures, arthritis, burns, amputations, stroke, multiple sclerosis, birth defects, injuries related to work and sports, and others.
Must graduate from a 2 year accredited educational program

62. WHERE DO PHYSICAL THERAPY PRACTITIONERS WORK
Long Term Care Facilities
School Systems
Skilled Nursing Facilities
Hospitals-acute and rehabilitation
Outpatient Facilities
Home Health Agencies
Day Treatment Programs
Assisted Living Facilities
Employment Settings- Industrial Rehab P
Programs

63. Private Practice
Sports Medicine Clinics
Health Clubs
Neonatal Intensive Care Units
Community Based Programs
Physicians Offices

64. EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS
All states require physical therapists to pass a licensure exam before they can practice, after graduating from an accredited physical therapist educational program.
According to the American Physical Therapy Association, there were 210 accredited physical therapist programs in 2005.
52 programs offered Master Degrees
158 offered Doctoral Degrees
The goal is by 2020 all PT programs will be at the doctorate entry-level

65. COURSEWORK FOR PROFESSIONAL-LEVEL STUDENTS
Employment of physical therapists is expected to grow much faster then the average for all occupations through 2014.
The demand for physical therapists should continue to rise as the elderly population continues to grow and people with disabilities.
The baby boomers are aging and becoming the age of having illness that require rehabilitation

66. Further, young people will need physical therapy as technological advances save the lives of a larger proportion of newborns with severe birth defects.
Physical therapists held about 155,000 jobs in 2004.
The number of jobs is greater than the jobs of the practicing physical therapists.

67. PHYSICAL THERAPIST EARNINGS
Median annual earnings of physical therapists were $60,180 in May 2004
Middle earned $50,330 to $71,760
Lowest earned $42,010
Highest earned $88,580
Home Health Care Services $64,650
Offices of Other Health Practitioners $60,130
Offices of Physicians $61,270
Nursing Care Facilities $61,720
General Medical & Surgical Hospitals $60,350

68. PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT JOB OUTLOOK
Employment of physical therapist assistants is expected to grow much faster than the average through 2014.
Physical therapist assistants held about 59,000 jobs in 2004.

69. PHYSICAL THERAPY ASSISTANT EARNINGS
Median annual earnings of physical therapist assistants were $37,890 in May 2004.
Middle earned $31,060 to $44,050
Lowest earned $24,110
Highest earned $51,110
Nursing Care Facilities $40,360
General Medical & Surgical Hospitals $37,790
Offices of other Health Practitioners $37,120