Jobs / Healthcare / 29-1125.00
Recreational Therapists
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 crafts. May assess a patient condition and recommend appropriate recreational activity.
- US jobs
- 14,930
- Median wage
- $61,960 a year
- Job family
- Healthcare
Can agents do the work of recreational therapists?
We read the evidence for the whole job family, Healthcare: Some tasks (no change in 12 months)
Agents complete 20% or more of the tasks (or projects) on a direct benchmark.
Evidence: MedAgentBench, 69.7% of tasks completed.
0% of this occupation's work, by O*NET work activities, is measured by a direct benchmark.
- 26%Develop patient or client care or treatment plansNot measured
- 13%Confer with healthcare or other professionals about patient careNot measured
- 10%Train others on health or medical topicsNot measured
- 9%Advise patients or clients on medical issuesNot measured
- 9%Collect information about patients or clientsNot measured
- 9%Provide support or encouragement to othersNot measured
- 9%Administer therapeutic treatmentsNot measured
- 5%Monitor health conditions of humans or animalsNot measured
Benchmarks for the job family
These cover work in healthcare, not always this occupation's tasks.
Direct evidence
Work benchmarks mapped primary to this family. They set the step when they report how many tasks agents complete.
Also relevant
These benchmarks cover part of this family's work, or have no result yet. They do not set its step.
Context only
These benchmarks span many occupations, or they test how agents behave. They give context but do not set the step.
- 1846 EloClaude Opus 5.5 (Adaptive Reasoning, Max Effort, Default Fallback) · 23 Sep 2026Unrated
Typical tasks
From O*NET 31.0. Core tasks first. Few of these tasks have a benchmark today.
- Instruct patient in activities and techniques, such as sports, dance, music, art, or relaxation techniques, designed to meet their specific physical or psychological needs.
- Conduct therapy sessions to improve patients' mental and physical well-being.
- 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.
- 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.
- Obtain information from medical records, medical staff, family members and the patients, themselves, to assess patients' capabilities, needs and interests.
- Confer with members of treatment team to plan and evaluate therapy programs.
- Counsel and encourage patients to develop leisure activities.
- 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.
- Prepare and submit reports and charts to treatment team to reflect patients' reactions and evidence of progress or regression.
- Develop discharge plans for patients.
Other job titles for this occupation (25)
Activities Coordinator · Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) · General Activities Therapist · Recreation Therapist · Recreational Therapist · Recreational Therapy Program Coordinator · Rehabilitation Therapist · Therapeutic Recreation Specialist · Therapeutic Specialist · Therapist · Activities Therapist · Activity Therapist · Adventure Therapist · Certified Recreational Therapist · Creative Arts Therapist · Dance Therapist · Drama Therapist · Ecotherapist · Horticultural Therapist · Life Enrichment Coordinator (LEC) · Lifestyle Director · Music Rehabilitation Therapist · Recreational Therapy Technician · Therapeutic Mentor · Therapeutic Riding Instructor