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At my last fieldwork placement I got to watch a couple of driving assessments. Driving brings a person much freedom. Taking away the privilege can be devastating to some. This article gives some good tips on to talk with a loved one about their ability or non-ability to drive. I think the tips would apply to those of us who find ourselves working in situations where we would have to talk with client's about this subject.

This is a tough issue. I used to worry about my grandmother so much. She started having little fender benders. It is good for us to be aware as COTA's how significant driving or not driving can be to our clients.

The conversation regarding when someone should no longer drive could be quite hard. I found this website that gives advise on how to have this conversation. It discusses how to plan for it, how to bring it up, how to handle objections and the environment in which it should take place. It also talks about how to help the individual with the transition (finding other means of transportation, etc).

This article addresses the evaluation process and talks about interventions that would allow someone to continue driving, such as remedial and adaptive approaches. The article also gives information on interventions if driving is no longer possible. There is a hyperlink in this article that takes you to the AOTA's driver safety webpage. From there you can search for a driving specialist and access safety guidelines.

When we think about aging in place, or at least when I do, we think about the home. I found this article really interesting because it discusses the driving and mobility in the neighborhood aspect. Driving gives people independence, feelings of freedom, and the ability to participate in meaningful occupations and social roles. This is so important to being able to live life to the fullest!

Driving and Community Mobility A medical doctor wrote and asked if we do "driving evaluations," and if so, what exactly it is we do. As the co-editor of a text published by the American Occupational Therapy Association, I was challenged to respond in a brief manner.

CarFit is a community based program that sponsors events (as a collaborative effort between AOTA, AAA, and AARP) with the purpose of inspecting the older driver in their own vehicle. "trained technicians and/or health professionals work with each participant to ensure they "fit" their vehicle properly for maximum comfort and safety". It takes about 20 mins after which recommendations for adjustments and adaptations are provided. The website provides FAQs and videos with a lot of information pertaining to the older driver and driver safety. Those of you interested in driving rehab may be interested in participating in an event such as this as a COTA in the future.

I posted this video on facebook. Some people left mean comments about it but I still think it is a wonderful invention. It states in the description that it is not meant for highway use. It has given this woman back some of her independence and I think it is worth it. No, you probably do not want to drive down the interstate with it but it;s great for getting around town at a slow and steady speed.

This is to neat! Slow and steady is good, and getting some independence back in a very healthy thing for a person who is wheelchair bound.

This video gives you info on a driving simulator. I would love to do this with a patient who desires to drive. I feel this would be extremely helpful to test someone skills before taking them out on the road.

This is a chart with descriptions consumers and health care providers can use to distinguish the type of driving services needed for an older adult.

I think we need to be aware of the warning signs that affect that impair driving.

Here is a website that describes the research that is being done to help older drivers continue to drive in a safe manner. We all know that not being able to drive can limit our independence but can also diminish our quality of life.

Information regarding community mobility from AOTA

This PDF gives information on the procedure of hemiarthroplasty to repair a fractured hip, as well as, great visual pictures of the body positioning during ADL's for hip precautions. I thought it would be helpful for someone like me, as an OTA student to visualize the correct preventative positioning during sitting, lying, driving, bathing, etc.

This page from the AOTA website contains links to various topics associated with the aging adult. These are tip sheets that explain different conditions and how OT can help. These include aging in place, living with Alzheimer's, fall prevention, hip replacement, home modification, low vision, driving and stroke. In addition to the tip sheets, there are links to videos for aging in place, home modification and precautions the elderly can take to prevent falls in the home. This is a great place to look to obtain a lot of good information on a variety of problems the elderly can face and how occupational therapy can help this population.

This is an awesome video narrated by an OT student who is a paraplegia.  Nicole gives a look into the adaptive equipment she uses to get around in her daily occupations.  This video shows car adaptations, standing machine, wheelchair cushions, and how she travels via airplane and taxi.  Nicole gives a good explanation of these devices.

That was an absolutely great video Kellie!

If you are working at a drive thru window in Nevada, it is really possible that a car could pull up and have no one inside it. No, it's not a ghost car, but a driverless car, which is actually road legal in that state. This bookmark is a website by BMWi listing new innovations in technology that could benefit disabled persons. Even if some of the products never become widely used, the technologies from them could be put to use in a variety of other ways. The website reads a bit like a commercial, but it still gives you an idea of how technology, adaptive equipment, and the needs of disabled people are converging.

This is a really cool article on what the therapists role is in driver retirement and helping with finding new ways of transportation for those who need to discontinue driving.