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Elara Caring
Waynesville, Missouri

Physical Therapist Assistant

Physical Therapist AssistantFull-Time

Compensation

Pay not listed

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

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Posted 1h ago · Verified live

Job Description

At Elara Caring, we have a unique opportunity to play a huge role in the growth of an entire home care industry. Here, each employee has the chance to make a real difference by carrying out our mission every day. Join our elite team of healthcare professionals, providing the Right Care, at the Right Time, in the Right Place.

Job Description

  • Physical Therapist Assistant - Hourly;
  • Home visits

At Elara Caring, we care where you are and believe the best place for your care is where you live. We know there’s no place like home, and that’s why our teams continue to provide high-quality care to more than 60,000 patients each day in their preferred home setting.

To continue to be an industry pioneer in delivering unparalleled care, we need a Physical Therapist Assistant with commitment and compassion. Are you one of them? If so, apply today!

Why Join the Elara Caring Mission?

  • Documentation is as easy as dictation with our new ambient listening system
  • Enjoy autonomy and flexibility in a collaborative environment
  • One-on-one visits make a rewarding difference in your community
  • Competitive compensation package
  • Comprehensive insurance plans for medical, dental, and vision benefits
  • 401(K) with employer match
  • Paid time off, paid holidays, family, and pet bereavement

Pet Insurance

  • Tuition reimbursement for full-time staff and continuing education opportunities for all employees at no cost
  • Opportunities for advancement

As a Physical Therapist Assistant, you’ll contribute to our success in the following ways:

Performs direct physical therapy services in accordance with accepted standards of practice and certified by the patient’s physician to ensure quality and continuity of care.

Follows Plan of Care as established by Physical Therapist/being supervised by the Physical Therapist and immediate reporting of any changes in status back to Physical Therapist.

  • Adheres to the State Practice Act Guidelines.
  • Verifies the Plan of Care prior to each visit and provides care according to physician’s orders, assessment data, and established standards and guidelines.
  • Incorporates patient care goals established in the Plan of Care, into therapy care.
  • Instructs patients and/or their families in the appropriate and safe use of prosthetic, orthotic and assistive devices (canes, walkers, wheelchairs, etc.).
  • Instructs the patient and/or caregiver in the therapy home program

What Is Required?

  • Graduate of an accredited physical therapy assistant program approved by the American Therapy Association
  • Current, unrestricted PTA license valid for the state of work.
  • 6+ months experience as a Physical Therapist Assistant is preferred
  • Able and willing to travel within branch/office coverage area.
  • Must have a dependable vehicle, valid driver’s license, and current auto insurance in accordance with state laws.
  • Must be able and willing to travel 50%

Ability to frequently lift, push, pull, and support up to 50 pounds, including positioning or transferring patients and moving equipment

You will report to the Branch Director, Clinical Manager, Clinical Supervisor or designee.

Equal Employment Opportunity: We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and comply with state and federal affirmative action requirements.

Individuals are recruited, hired, assigned and promoted without regard to race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.

If you require assistance due to a disability in the application or recruitment process, please submit a request via email at recruiting@elara.com.

Pay & Benefit Information: Compensation for this role will be determined based on a variety of factors, including qualifications, skills, competencies, and relevant experience. Elara offers a broad range of benefits. Learn more at careers.elara.com

EVerify: Elara Caring participates in E-Verify after a job offer is accepted and Form I-9 completed.

Key Responsibilities

Provide direct physical therapy services in patients’ homes according to physician orders, the established Plan of Care, and accepted practice standards under the supervision of a Physical Therapist. Monitor and report changes in patient status, incorporate care goals into therapy, and teach patients and caregivers how to safely use assistive devices and follow home therapy programs.

Requirements

Graduation from an accredited physical therapist assistant program and a current, unrestricted PTA license valid in the state of work are required; at least six months of experience is preferred. Candidates must be willing to travel within the coverage area, have a dependable vehicle, valid driver’s license, and current auto insurance, and be able to frequently lift, push, pull, and support up to 50 pounds.

Key Skills

Plan Of Care ImplementationPatient Status MonitoringState Practice Act ComplianceAssistive Device InstructionProsthetic Device InstructionOrthotic Device InstructionHome Therapy Program InstructionPatient And Caregiver EducationPatient TransfersClinical DocumentationCommunication

Physical Therapist Career Context

In Missouri, the Physical Therapy weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$88k (183 salary observations; 1,086 listings), vs ~$94k nationally (11,785 salary observations; 62,466 listings). Monthly aggregates cover 2026-01-01 through 2026-11-01; these are not the modal's selected comparable-job medians.

The cost-of-living index for Missouri is 90.8 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 60.1% of Missouri clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

What does the Physical Therapy market look like in Missouri?
MeasureThis jobMarket
Missouri vs national$88k median in Missouri$94k nationally (−6%)183 state / 11,785 national salary observations
Cost of livingMissouri index 90.8US average = 100BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Physical Therapy listings in Missouri437 active21,523 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Sign-on & loan repaymentnot statedMissouri Physical Therapist listings: 16% state a sign-on bonus (median $10k) · 27% offer loan repayment444 active listings, Nov 2026
New Physical Therapy listings7,750 in the last 30 days4,154 the 30 days before (+87%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Physical Therapy pay trend+1.6% vs prior quarter—through Oct 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index, BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Nov 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Top PTA Jobs

6 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

5 jobs
1
$32k
0
$45k-60k
2
$60k-75k
2
$75k-90k

Annual compensation range

Work-Life Balance Distribution

6 jobs
0
1-2
0
3-4
3
5-6
2
7-8
1
9-10

Higher = better work-life balance

#1

Physical Therapist Assistant

Phoenix Home Care and Hospice · Eldon, Missouri

$65k-$80k
#2

Physical Therapist Assistant

Quincy Medical Group · Quincy, Illinois

$25-$37.5/hr
#3

Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA), Kent Island

$27-$35/hr
#4

Physical Therapist Assistant

$25-$33.75/hr
+ 4 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 4.8this job 4.8
Better work-life than 50% of Physical Therapist Assistant listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 4,946 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Elara Caring logo

About Elara Caring

Hospitals and Health Care
Dallas, Texas
5,001-10,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Medical Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
401(k) with employer match
Paid Time Off
Paid Holidays
Family and Pet Bereavement
Pet Insurance

Living in Waynesville

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$233k
Typical market rent
$1,320/mo
Residents’ average commute
19 min
State income tax
Up to 5.3%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Sep 2026), Zillow market rents (Sep 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.