Working in home health as an OT, PT, or SLP

Home health means therapy delivered in the patient’s home. BLS lists home healthcare services among the largest employers of occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, physical therapists, and physical therapist assistants. Its speech-language pathologists page does not list it. Medicare.gov lists physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology among covered home health services, for patients who are homebound and need part-time or intermittent skilled care. APTA and ASHA describe home-based practice for PTs, PTAs, and SLPs.

Quoted from official pages checked November 10, 2026. Confirm current requirements, fees, and dates on those sites. This page is not legal advice and does not guarantee eligibility, certification, or licensure.

What BLS says

BLS’s occupational therapists page, checked November 10, 2026, lists “Home healthcare services” at 8% of 2025 occupational therapist jobs. It states: “Occupational therapists typically work in healthcare settings. Some occupational therapists work in schools. Others travel to clients and work with them in their homes.” On older adults, it states: “For example, therapists may identify potential fall hazards in a client’s home and recommend their removal or help clients attend social outings.” BLS’s occupational therapy assistants and aides page lists home healthcare services at 7% of 2025 occupational therapy assistant jobs. It does not list it for aides.

BLS’s physical therapists page states: “Physical therapists typically work in private offices and clinics, hospitals, patients’ homes, and nursing homes.” It lists home healthcare services at 11% of 2025 physical therapist jobs. BLS’s physical therapist assistants and aides page lists it at 12% of 2025 physical therapist assistant jobs. It does not list it for aides.

BLS’s speech-language pathologists page does not list home healthcare services among the largest employers, and it does not mention patients’ homes. ASHA’s description is below.

What Medicare.gov says about home health coverage

Medicare.gov’s Home health services page, checked November 10, 2026, states: “Home health includes a wide range of health care services that you can get in your home for an illness or injury to help you get better, maintain your current condition or level of function, or slow your rate of decline.” Its list of Medicare-covered home health services includes “Physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology services (if you meet certain conditions)”.

On eligibility, the page says you must need part-time or intermittent skilled services and be homebound, and it gives two conditions. One is: “You’re normally unable to leave your home and leaving takes a lot of effort.” It also states: “Before you can get home health services, a doctor or health care provider (like a nurse practitioner) must see you in person and confirm you need home health care.” And: “They must also order your care, and a Medicare-certified home health agency must provide it.”

On occupational therapy specifically: “If you need occupational therapy, your doctor or health care provider must first order it along with nursing care, physical therapy, or speech-language pathology. After that you can keep getting occupational therapy on its own, even if you no longer need the other services.” These are Medicare coverage rules for patients. They are not employment rules, and other payers may differ. No payment rates or costs are copied here.

Physical therapists and PTAs: APTA

APTA’s Home Health Physical Therapy page, checked November 10, 2026, states: “Home health physical therapy encompasses a wide range of services that PTs and PTAs provide in the home.” It also states: “Home health PTs and PTAs work one-on-one with patients in their own environment, making services completely relevant to the patient's needs and goals.” And: “The APTA Home Health Section is specifically dedicated to those who share a common interest in the delivery of physical therapy in the home and other alternative settings within the community.” The page also tracks Medicare home health payment rules; none are copied here.

Speech-language pathologists: ASHA

ASHA’s employment settings page, checked November 10, 2026, states: “SLPs treat clients/patients of all ages in their homes or in free-standing outpatient settings, such as speech and hearing clinics or doctors' offices.” It continues: “SLPs who provide home care services may be employed by home health agencies, work in early intervention programs, or be in private practice.” ASHA’s Getting Started as an SLP in Health Care page lists home health services among the health care settings where SLPs see patients. A separate ASHA home-health address tried on November 10, 2026 returned ASHA’s page-not-found message, so nothing is quoted from it.

Occupational therapy: AOTA

AOTA’s pages returned no readable content on November 10, 2026, so no AOTA home-health material is quoted.

What this page does not do

It gives no visit counts, productivity targets, payment rates, or billing codes, and it does not rank settings. State practice acts and payer rules govern home visits. For infants and toddlers served at home under IDEA Part C, see early intervention.

Pay

This page copies no wages. BLS median pay by industry is on OT, OTA, PT, PTA, and SLP work settings, and national figures are on pay and outlook.