I see many COTAs who enter the profession for the salary. Some may not know what they are getting into; others have done their research and are aware of what the job entails. I definitely know that I was not fully aware of some of the things I would do over my years as a COTA, but that's another story.   Yes the pay is decent as a ...

  Working for so many years as a therapist I always knew my side of the bed. You always wonder about many of your patients though, how did they get here, what have they been through, what do they think and expect being on the other side, in the bed?   Over my years I have definitely seen my share of poor care, patients with bed ...

  As the number of schools increase that teach the OTA program, are the graduates able to find jobs? One source I follow says no, but others say they are finding job offers. The one common thread I am finding though is some COTAs are completing three or more interviews before landing a job.   I do see changes in Medicare happening, ...

  Something that was really missed from my early days in OT is the use of crafts. My schooling included two semesters of Media, which entailed all forms of craft making related to specific diagnoses. These days with tight budgets there are very few craft activities used in OT treatment.   Going back to the early days of OT, crafts ...

  As a COTA I did enjoy earning a fair wage, however like most people in this economy found it difficult to put a good chunk away for retirement. We have many excuses, but with the financial outlook of Social Security and Medicare it is time to begin taking a serious look at your financial well-being.   It is difficult to save any ...

  News of fraud and abuse in our healthcare system appears frequently these days. Between scams, double billing and code jamming many dollars are illegally claimed from the system. Whether it be from Medicare, Medicaid or an insurance company, one thing is certain, the honest consumers pay for it.   Just recently the Medicare Fraud ...

  After being in therapy for so many years you get to learn a few things. Some are just out of desperation, some are learned from other therapists, and a few are learned from collaboration. Here are a few things I'd like to pass on for others:   Wheelchair brakes- got a chair that just won't lock the wheels enough to hold still? ...

  Were you aware that there are 54.8 million people in the U.S. receiving Social Security benefits? That is 17.6% of our population. With the baby boomer generation adding to those numbers daily, the fund could be depleted by 2033.   Began in 1935 by Congress to provide ''old age benefits'' for families, workers and employers ...

  Well as I mentioned in my last blog I have retired as a COTA. I don't miss getting up in the mornings to get ready for work, but I already miss meeting and working with people. That was one of the key matters considered as this decision was made because I knew it would leave a blank in my life.   As much as there were always a few ...

  Hello readers, sorry I've been gone for a while. I had to take a bit of time away from the blog in order to deal with some personal issues. Life is always challenging, and sometimes a break is needed. Sometimes a break is just to refresh your spirit. For me this was both.   One personal issue is my mom, who fell recently and broke ...