Appreciating Occupational Therapy's Role in Addressing Driving

Course overview

Occupational therapists (OTs) support participation in the community, which includes addressing driving and community mobility for individuals of all ages and in all populations. Driving and community mobility are highly complex instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) that can have a direct impact on engagement in other areas of occupations. OTs and other Driver Rehabilitation Specialists (e.g. driving instructors with special training, physical therapists, psychiatrists, physicians, etc.) evaluate sensory, cognitive, and motor performance skills and relate findings to performance. OTs have unique education and training in further evaluating a client's performance patterns, contexts (including supports and barriers), and the influence driving and community mobility has in daily life and overall well-being. This transactional perspective is unique to OT and situates our profession in the forefront of addressing this IADL and the issues that may arise if/when this IADL is compromised. OTs have an ethical obligation to address the valued task of driving and to assess if OT interventions can promote and/or prolong safe driving. The 2018 ACOTE Standards require entry level OT education programs to ensure students are able to "Evaluate the needs of persons, groups, and populations to design programs that enhance community mobility, and implement transportation transitions, including driver rehabilitation and community access." However, based upon the geographical area and practice setting, practitioners might not feel comfortable in addressing driving, or assume another provider is addressing. The¿strong link between driving, community mobility, and other occupations provides a clear need for all OTs to commit to addressing driving with clients. OTs have the knowledge necessary to identify those who are medically at risk and to provide necessary resources related to driving and community mobility, although some OTs may leave this to specialists in the field of driver rehabilitation.