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Career Path Forecast
Employment of
recreational therapists is expected to increase 15 percent from 2008 to 2018,
faster than the average for all occupations. Job growth will stem from the
therapy needs of the aging population. With age comes an inevitable
decrease in physical ability and, in some cases, mental ability, which can
be limited or managed with recreation therapy. In nursing care facilities
-- the largest industry employing recreational therapists -- employment
will grow faster than the occupation as a whole as the number of older
adults continues to grow.
Employment growth in schools will result from the expansion
of the school-age population and the federally funded extension of services
for disabled students.
Reimbursement for recreational therapy services will
continue to affect how and where therapeutic recreation is provided. As
payers and employers try to contain costs, recreation therapy services will
shift to outpatient settings and away from hospitals.
Recreational therapists will experience competition for
jobs. Lower paid recreational therapy aides may be increasingly used in an
effort to contain costs. Job opportunities should be best for people with a
bachelor's degree in therapeutic recreation and the Certified Therapeutic
Recreation Specialist credential. Recreational therapists might experience
more competition for jobs in certain regions of the country as jobs in
therapeutic recreation tend to cluster in more densely populated areas.
Note: Some resources in this section are provided by the US
Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor
Statistics.
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