Mr. Robert Earl Kiel JR.

Occupational therapists can optimize and prolong an older driver's ability to drive safely and ease the transition to other forms of transportation if driving cessation becomes necessary. By identifying strengths as well as physical or cognitive challenges, occupational therapists can evaluate an individual's overall ability to operate a vehicle safely and recommend assistive devices or behavioral changes to limit risks. Occupational therapy practitioners offer a continuum of services related to community mobility, from evaluation of driving performance, through counseling and support for lifestyle changes, to maintaining independence and quality of life.

Occupational therapy assistants contribute to the completion of an individualized occupational therapy driving and community mobility evaluation by administering delegated assessments and identifying findings that impact the client's occupational performance. Clients engage in the assessment and occupational profile process to customize the evaluation to their individual driving and community mobility needs. Occupational therapy assistants administer and continuously modify individualized in-vehicle and community mobility assessments within the naturalistic context of the community in response to the occupational performance and safety behaviors of the client. They also implement an individualized intervention plan, within the parameters established in collaboration with the occupational therapist that reflects the contexts of the client and meets his or her occupational performance and safety needs. Occupational therapy assistants address immediate and long-term implications of psychosocial issues related to compromised driving and community mobility throughout the occupational therapy process and makes recommendations to the occupational therapist for modification to service delivery.

Source: NUCC, CMS