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Rehabilitation therapist vs recreational therapy aide

The differences between rehabilitation therapists and recreational therapy aides can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a rehabilitation therapist and a recreational therapy aide. Additionally, a rehabilitation therapist has an average salary of $67,287, which is higher than the $50,346 average annual salary of a recreational therapy aide.

The top three skills for a rehabilitation therapist include rehabilitation, patients and mental health. The most important skills for a recreational therapy aide are recreational therapy, patients, and CPR.

Rehabilitation therapist vs recreational therapy aide overview

Rehabilitation TherapistRecreational Therapy Aide
Yearly salary$67,287$50,346
Hourly rate$32.35$24.20
Growth rate4%4%
Number of jobs37,15650,591
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 64%Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Average age4343
Years of experience1212

Rehabilitation therapist vs recreational therapy aide salary

Rehabilitation therapists and recreational therapy aides have different pay scales, as shown below.

Rehabilitation TherapistRecreational Therapy Aide
Average salary$67,287$50,346
Salary rangeBetween $39,000 And $115,000Between $35,000 And $71,000
Highest paying CityPetaluma, CA-
Highest paying stateNew Jersey-
Best paying companyDignity Health-
Best paying industryHealth Care-

Differences between rehabilitation therapist and recreational therapy aide education

There are a few differences between a rehabilitation therapist and a recreational therapy aide in terms of educational background:

Rehabilitation TherapistRecreational Therapy Aide
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 64%Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Most common majorPsychologyRehabilitation Science
Most common collegeCalifornia State University - Long BeachDuke University

Rehabilitation therapist vs recreational therapy aide demographics

Here are the differences between rehabilitation therapists' and recreational therapy aides' demographics:

Rehabilitation TherapistRecreational Therapy Aide
Average age4343
Gender ratioMale, 28.4% Female, 71.6%Male, 23.9% Female, 76.1%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 6.5% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 10.2% Asian, 3.3% White, 74.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%Black or African American, 6.5% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 10.2% Asian, 3.3% White, 74.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between rehabilitation therapist and recreational therapy aide duties and responsibilities

Rehabilitation therapist example responsibilities.

  • Provide PSR services to clients with mental illness in order to help them achieve the highest standard of living possible.
  • Administer cognitive rehabilitation therapy to traumatic brain injure patients through exercises design to improve memory and other global functions.
  • Maintain documentation of patients' participation and strength-base progress within group and individual therapy in accordance with regulatory standards.
  • Write patient assessments, and develop patient rehabilitation programs that better monitor the patients progress by including individualize treatment goals/objectives.
  • Implement management of assaultive behavior classes and CPR for staff, as well as proctoring new employees.
  • Identify presenting/existing barriers that impede adequate social-functioning and goal-attainment with the purpose of connecting patients to adequate resources within a community.
  • Show more

Recreational therapy aide example responsibilities.

  • Work with MDS coordinator and interview residents for annual MDS sections and care planning.
  • Counsele and encourage patients to develop leisure activities.
  • Assist recreation therapists in planning and implementing recreation-base treatment programs to patients.
  • Coordinate rehabilitation practices through recreational activities
  • Perform orthopedic rehabilitation and adolescent psych rehabilitation.
  • Perform orthopedic rehabilitation and adolescent psych rehabilitation.

Rehabilitation therapist vs recreational therapy aide skills

Common rehabilitation therapist skills
  • Rehabilitation, 22%
  • Patients, 20%
  • Mental Health, 12%
  • Social Work, 7%
  • Patient Care, 4%
  • Physical Therapy, 4%
Common recreational therapy aide skills
  • Recreational Therapy, 32%
  • Patients, 25%
  • CPR, 12%
  • Compassion, 11%
  • Music Therapy, 9%
  • Therapeutic Recreation Programs, 8%

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