Healthcare · SOC 29-1125
AI can document and plan, but therapeutic recreation — human presence, emotional attunement, and physical activity — cannot be automated.
Parts of the job are exposed, but judgment and context still matter.
Timeline: Documentation and planning will become AI-assisted in the next 3 years, but the therapeutic presence — physically active, emotionally attuned facilitation — remains irreplaceably human.
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Healthcare
$48,790 median pay
$98,910 median pay
$73,850 median pay
$98,340 median pay
Healthcare
AI job-risk card
Recreational Therapists is watch on AIFear. Parts of the job are exposed, but judgment and context still matter.
AIFear.com
Our AI Fear Score for Recreational Therapists is 45/100 (Watch). Parts of the job are exposed, but judgment and context still matter.
45 out of 100, based on an AI-model review of this occupation's O*NET tasks against what current AI can actually do.
Most exposed: Documenting patient progress reports and treatment plans, Gathering patient history and preference data for planning, Developing standardized activity recommendations, Conducting needs assessments from structured questionnaires. Harder to automate: Leading and facilitating actual therapeutic activities with patients, Encouraging patients through interpersonal connection, Adapting activities in real time to patient mood and ability.
Lean into Therapeutic recreation facilitation, Activity assessment and program design, Patient motivation and engagement, Group dynamics management, Documentation and outcomes measurement. Consider roles such as Recreation therapy program director or Child life specialist or Rehabilitation program coordinator.
Tasks, skills and AI-exposure for this role were reviewed by an AI model against its O*NET task profile (curated roles use published research anchors). Pay and employment, where shown, are U.S. BLS OEWS (May 2024) figures. This is an estimate, not a prediction about any individual's job. Compare all occupations.