Per Diem Occupational Therapist
Listed compensation
$40.00 - $50.00 per hour
Listing transparency2 of 6 stated
Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations and weekend coverage.
- Employment & setting
- Per Diem
- Call expectations
- Not specified
- Weekends
- Not specified
Job Description
There For You Home Care Services is seeking per diem Occupational Therapists (in the New Haven, Branford, and Valley areas) to join our home care team and support patients in achieving greater independence in their daily lives.
This is an excellent opportunity for an OT who values flexibility and meaningful one-on-one patient relationships. Per diem scheduling allows clinicians to take visits on a day-rate basis that fits around their availability, making it well suited to therapists seeking supplemental work or a better work-life balance.
We are looking for candidates who are dependable, thorough in documentation and compliance, and genuinely committed to helping patients thrive in the comfort of their own homes.
Clinical Assessment & Planning
Conduct initial and ongoing OT evaluations in the patient's home, assessing functional status, ADLs/IADLs, cognition, fine motor skills, and home safety
Develop, implement, and update an individualized plan of care (POC) with measurable, functional goals
Contribute to OASIS data collection where the OT is the qualifying or assessing discipline
Direct Patient Care
Provide skilled therapeutic interventions to improve independence in daily activities (dressing, bathing, grooming, meal prep, etc.)
- Train patients in adaptive techniques and energy conservation
- Recommend, fit, and train patients on adaptive equipment and durable medical equipment (DME)
- Perform home safety and fall-risk assessments, recommending environmental modifications
Education & Coordination
Educate patients, families, and caregivers on therapy techniques, safety, and home exercise programs
Coordinate care with the interdisciplinary team (nursing, PT, SLP, aides, physician) and communicate changes in patient status
- Make recommendations for continued care, discharge planning, or referrals
- Documentation & compliance
- Complete timely, accurate visit notes, progress notes, recertifications, and discharge summaries
- Ensure documentation supports medical necessity and meets Medicare/payer and agency standards
- Adhere to the POC, physician orders, and state practice/licensure requirements
Requirements
- Proven working experience as occupational therapist
- Excellent knowledge of principles and practices of occupational therapy
- Hands-on experience with computer programs and creative media
Familiarity with ADLs evaluation tools ( e. g. Katz ADL scale, Lawton IADL scale)
Ability to manage patients with different types of personalities
Current knowledge of treatment practices per discipline and drive to learn continually and grow in the profession
- Professional behavior
- Excellent interpersonal communication skills
- Valid license to practice Occupational Therapy
- BS degree or greater in Occupational Therapy
Benefits
- Compensation:
- $80.00 - $100.00 per visit
- Mileage Reimbursement
- Pay: $40.00 - $50.00 per hour
Benefits
Mileage reimbursement
Medical Specialty
Home Health
Education
Master's (Preferred)
Experience
Home care: 1 year (Preferred)
License/Certification
- Occupational Therapy License (Required)
- Work Location: On the road
Key Responsibilities
Conduct initial and ongoing occupational therapy evaluations in patients' homes to develop individualized plans of care. Provide skilled therapeutic interventions and educate patients and caregivers on adaptive techniques and home safety.
Qualifications
- Education
- Bachelor degree
- Experience
- 2+ years of experience
Key Skills
Work-Life Balance Analysis
WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Per Diem Occupational Therapist at Universa Care a 7.2 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as very good. This places the position in the top 25% in Occupational Therapy — ranked against 9,045 active Occupational Therapy listings on WeekdayDoc.
Occupational Therapist Career Context
In New York, the Occupational Therapy weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$93k (249 salary observations; 744 listings), vs ~$96k nationally (4,072 salary observations; 22,315 listings). Monthly aggregates cover 2026-01-01 through 2026-09-01; these are not the modal's selected comparable-job medians.
Of the 40 active Occupational Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 5% are remote, 43% have no call, 57% require no weekends.
Occupational Therapy pay on WeekdayDoc is up 1.2% vs. the prior quarter (through Aug 2026).
The cost-of-living index for New York is 107.9 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 64.6% of New York clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
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