Plan, direct, or coordinate medically-approved recreation programs for patients in hospitals, nursing homes, or other institutions. Activities include sports, trips, dramatics, social activities, and arts and crafts. May assess a patient condition and recommend appropriate recreational activity.

Other names for Recreational Therapists: Activities Director, Activity Assistant, Activity Coordinator, Activity Director, Activity Therapist, Adventure Therapist, Art Therapist, Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS), Child Life Therapist, Dance Therapist, Director of Therapeutic Activities, Director of Therapeutic Recreation, Drama Therapist, General Activities Therapist, Horticultural Therapist, Music Therapist, Music Therapist (Rehabilitation), Recreation Director, Recreation Therapist, Recreational Therapist, Recreational Therapy Aide, Recreational Therapy Technician, Rehabilitation Therapist, Therapeutic Recreation Specialist, Therapeutic Riding Instructor, Therapeutic Specialist, Therapist,

• Observe, analyze, and record patients' participation, reactions, and progress during treatment sessions, modifying treatment programs as needed.
• Develop treatment plan to meet needs of patient, based on needs assessment, patient interests and objectives of therapy.
• Encourage clients with special needs and circumstances to acquire new skills and get involved in health-promoting leisure activities, such as sports, games, arts and crafts, and gardening.
• Counsel and encourage patients to develop leisure activities.
• Confer with members of treatment team to plan and evaluate therapy programs.
• Conduct therapy sessions to improve patients' mental and physical well-being.
• Instruct patient in activities and techniques, such as sports, dance, music, art or relaxation techniques, designed to meet their specific physical or psychological needs.
• Obtain information from medical records, medical staff, family members and the patients themselves to assess patients' capabilities, needs and interests.
• Plan, organize, direct and participate in treatment programs and activities to facilitate patients' rehabilitation, help them integrate into the community and prevent further medical problems.
• Prepare and submit reports and charts to treatment team to reflect patients' reactions and evidence of progress or regression.

• Still cameras
• Guitars
• Archery bows
• Cassette players or recorders
• Baseball bats
• Baseballs
• Basketballs
• Bicycles
• Bowling equipment
• Canoes or kayaks
• Compact disk players or recorders
• Croquet sets
• Desktop computers
• Digital voice recorders
• Digital camcorders or video cameras
• Digital cameras
• Percussion instrument accessory
• Drums
• Pianos
• Metronomes
• Pedal exercisers for rehabilitation or therapy
• Fishing rods
• Extremity hydrotherapy baths or tanks
• Footballs
• Weights or sets or accessories for rehabilitation or therapy
• Golf clubs
• Bells
• Harmonicas
• Headpointers or mouthsticks for the physically challenged
• Canoes or kayaks
• Notebook computers
• Wheelchairs
• Specialty brushes
• Patient lifts or accessories
• Personal computers
• Pianos
• Table tennis paddles
• Pool cues
• Potters wheels for hand made ceramics
• Wheelchairs
• Recreational rowboats
• Recreational sailboats
• Shuffleboard
• Trapshooting equipment
• Skis
• Softballs
• Tennis racquets
• Treadmill exercisers for rehabilitation or therapy
• Weight machines for rehabilitation or therapy
• Volleyballs
• Water skis or accessories
• Carving tools

Music or sound editing software

Word processing software

Presentation software

Spreadsheet software

Data base user interface and query software

Medical software

Internet browser software

Electronic mail software