Driving and Community Mobility Reflection

     The guest speaker on driving and community mobility in our Older Adults course was very interesting and engaging. One thing that I took away from the lecture is that all occupational therapists, no matter what population they work with, should have at least some knowledge on driving and community mobility. I also learned that we must be sure to avoid giving clients false hope on being able to drive, as this can be a huge disappointment for them if they likely will not be able to, as well as a waste of their time and money.
     One occupational therapy intervention for driving and community mobility that can be done with a group is a "field trip" in which the group learns to navigate their community using public transportation. A group that may benefit from this is those in a group home for individuals with moderate intellectual disabilities. With one therapist or other professional per three or so clients, the group can practice the skills necessary to take public transportation, such as a bus system or the subway.
     An OT intervention for driving and community mobility that may be done with an individual client is simulated driving to improve the client's physical abilities related to driving. One area to address is the ability to turn their neck to either side in order to check their mirrors and to the side when changing lanes. Another area that should be addressed is active range of motion of the upper extremities. The client must be able to turn the steering wheel, move any levers for blinkers or windshield wipers, and reach the gear shift.
     No matter where an individual is in the lifespan, driving is a very important indicator of freedom. This is true for the teenager just learning to drive, as well as the aging adult whose cognition may be declining. Because of this, all OTs should have a basic understanding of interventions to address driving and community mobility.