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A diagnosis for any sort of impairment -- physical, emotional or developmental -- can be a life-altering event for patients who often fear that they will be unable to care for themselves. Fortunately, rehabilitative therapies can help these patients establish some degree of, if not total independence, often improving quality of life dramatically. Occupational therapy aides assist the licensed occupational therapists who provide these valuable services. In other words, they change lives.

Employment outlook and career prospects for occupational therapy aides

There has never been a more promising time to become an occupational therapy aide. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects demand for these professionals will grow by an impressive 30 percent in the decade preceding 2018. While occupational therapy services are offered in a diversity of settings, a recent report published by the American Occupational Therapy Association notes that new opportunities are emerging for therapists and aides serving disabled children through public schools, and for those treating the elderly, especially those patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease and other degenerative disorders.

While occupational therapy aides do not oversee rehabilitative services directly, they support the occupational therapists that do in a number of ways. Tasks vary from one position to the next, but can include:

• Setting up equipment
• Managing insurance paperwork
• Tracking appointments
• Restocking supplies

It is important to distinguish occupational aides from occupational therapy assistants who, upon meeting more extensive education and licensure requirements, perform a wider range of tasks.

Occupational therapy aide salaries

Occupational therapy assisting is a relatively quick-entry career, so these professionals tend to earn less than their occupational therapist and therapy assistant colleagues. According to the BLS, the median occupational therapy aide salary in 2010 was $27,430, though the top 10 percent earned in excess of $52,750. Those who invest in specialized training offered by occupational therapy aide schools might be in a particularly good position to negotiate higher earnings as demand for these workers increases.

Occupational therapy aides' salaries vary from one state to the next, but those working in the Northeastern United States tend to fare best. According to the BLS, the following states were among the most lucrative for these professionals in 2010:

• Rhode Island
• Connecticut
• Massachusetts

Note that average earnings only tell part of the story; higher-than-average salaries can be quickly offset by sky-high living costs. According to data from the BLS and the Council on Community and Economic Research, the following regions offered some of the most competitive occupational therapy aide salaries relative to cost of living:

• Dallas, Texas
• Pittsburgh, Penn.
• Farmington Hills, Mich.

Occupational therapy aide training: Invest in your future

Occupational therapy aides typically learn their trade on-the-job, so occupational therapy aide schools can provide grads with a competitive edge in the job market. These programs can also serve as a stepping stone to a career as an occupational therapy assistant, improving the earning potential of those who decide to pursue this path significantly. Whichever route you choose, rest assured that education is an investment not just in yourself, but in the lives of your future patients.

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• Physical therapist aide salary & career outlook
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• Home health aide salary & career outlook