Rehabilitation aides assist medical professionals in patient care, working with physical, occupational, or recreational therapy. They help patients increase mobility, handle treatments, and keep records of progress. Aides must be physically fit, compassionate, and good communicators. Salaries are typically low, and some positions require a college degree.
A rehabilitation aide assists other medical professionals in patient care. Aides work with therapists to provide care and treatment and help maintain a productive and safe rehabilitation environment. The specific duties of the rehabilitation aide depend on the type of therapy, ie physical, occupational or recreational therapy. There are auxiliary positions in hospitals, nursing homes and outpatient clinics.
Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Aides help physical therapists conduct sessions with patients. Job duties often revolve around helping patients increase mobility or lessen the effects of a disability. In this scenario, an aide can help a patient learn to walk or move limbs as part of regular exercise. A rehab aide also handles certain treatments, such as ultrasound or electrical stimulation, under the therapist’s direction. In addition, the aide can help by keeping records of each patient’s progress and the outcome of each session.
Rehabilitation aides for occupational therapy help people with physical, mental and developmental disabilities improve their quality of life. This covers a wide range of activities, from helping a patient with a new prosthesis learn to drive to preparing an autistic person to enter the workforce. Aides work alongside occupational therapists to ensure that patients derive maximum benefit from each session. Some of the duties are of a physical nature; others require more emotional support as encouragement. There are administrative responsibilities as well, including charting progress or scheduling more therapy sessions.
A recreational therapy rehabilitation aide helps the physically and mentally handicapped to enjoy leisure activities. The advisor assists the recreational therapist in planning and executing social activities, such as a trip to the mall or a restaurant. The advisor may also organize games, dances, art projects, or similar activities. In these positions, the rehabilitation aide supports the therapist’s work and acts as a supervisor for recreational therapy patients. Recreational therapy aide positions are most often available in long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes, where these activities are part of everyday life.
Rehabilitation aides must be physically fit and able to lift or move patients or clients with limited mobility. Aides should be prepared to spend most of the workday standing, lifting, bending over, or performing other physical work. An aide must also be caring and compassionate, as well as a good team player who communicates easily with patients and other medical staff. These demanding positions tend to drive salaries down, however, and rehabilitation aides typically earn some of the lowest salaries in the healthcare field. While some aide positions only require a high school diploma, employers may look for aides with college degrees, especially in health sciences or rehabilitation.
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