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Client-Centered and Convenient
We go to the client's home and complete a clinical evaluation and an on-the-road evaluation, as indicated by clinical evaluation results. Driving is done in the client's own community. Results are provided in report format to the referring physician, other referral source and the client.
Driving and Community Mobility
For many people, driving is essential for accessing
- Vocational opportunities
- Recreational opportunities
- Goods and services (bank, food, drug stores)
- Medical services
- Social opportunities
Driving requires more than the technical skills of operating a vehicle. Vision, perception, cognition, mobility, and behavioral control across a range of road conditions and situations are all necessary skills.
Unfortunately, there are many conditions that can adversely impact these skills and driving safety. These include:
- Dementia (Alzheimer’s, Vascular, etc.)
- Stroke
- TBI/ Acquired Brain Injuries
- Spinal Cord Injury (traumatic/ other)
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Amputations (LE and UE)
- Asbergers/ High Functioning Autism
- Learning Disabilities
- ADD/ADHD
- Bipolar Disorder
- Cerebral Palsy
- Congenital Disabilities
We take the guesswork out of this question for our physician, family, and other referral source partners. We offer driving evaluations and driver training to seniors and individuals with disabilities to ensure that they can enjoy the highest level of function in community mobility while maintaining individual and public safety.
For Families of Seniors
Watch for these signs that your loved one is having problems driving:
* has multiple vehicle crashes, unexplained dents in the
car, "near misses"
* Receives two or more traffic tickets or warnings within the last two years; insurance premiums increase because of driving issues.
* Neighbors or friends observe unsafe driving
* Has anxiety about driving at night
* Develops health issues that might affect driving ability (such as vision, hearing, movement, or cognition)
* Complains about speed, sudden lane changes, or "other drivers"
* Says that their doctor recommended modifying or quitting driving.
For Physicians or Healthcare Professionals
You may be the "gatekeeper" to patient safety and therefore have legal and ethical responsibilities to address driving.
1. Look at and inform patients about potential side effects of medications on driving.
2. Use the online Clinician’s Guide to Assessing and Counseling Older Drivers, 3rd Ed., (NHTSA and American Geriatric Society, 2013)
3. Ask about driving habits– include family in discussions.
4. Assess vision, screen for cognitive decline, and consider physical skills that could impact mobility
7. REFER to Optimum Mobility if ANY problems surface because you need an Occupational Therapist who is also a Certified Driving Rehabilitation Specialist to evaluate and treat individuals with disabilities or conditions that can negatively impact driving safety.
