What were the key takeaway points from the guest lecture today? Describe two occupational therapy interventions based on the topic. Each intervention should address a different type of client: individual (1:1), group, or population.
For our guest lecture on driving and community mobility, I was excited to learn more about this topic after doing some research for my EBP research project on assessment to measure driving readiness. He covered a lot of pertinent information and several things that I was not familiar with.
A clinical evaluation done an an individual is the first step in deciding their ability to be safe behind the wheel. We discussed what all goes into a clinical evaluation and it encompasses a lot more than you would think.
For our guest lecture on driving and community mobility, I was excited to learn more about this topic after doing some research for my EBP research project on assessment to measure driving readiness. He covered a lot of pertinent information and several things that I was not familiar with.
A clinical evaluation done an an individual is the first step in deciding their ability to be safe behind the wheel. We discussed what all goes into a clinical evaluation and it encompasses a lot more than you would think.
1.
The clinical evaluation
a.
Vision screening first
i. Acuity
ii. Road
side recognition
iii. Color
perception
iv. Stereo
depth
b.
Visual perception
c.
Cognitive assessment
d.
Active range of motion
i. Upper
extremities
ii. Lower
extremities
iii. Cervical
e.
Sensations upper and lower extremities
i. Light
touch
ii. Sharp/dull
iii. Proprioception
iv. Kinesthesia
f.
Grip
g.
Trail Making A
h.
Trail Making B
i.
Rules of the road test
j.
Insight and awareness
Most of these items I was already familiar with from my prior research on assessing
fitness to drive, but some of them were new to me. The rules of the road test obviously
holds a great amount of importance, as well as insight and awareness.
After the clinical evaluation portion, a client might progress to the on-road portion which
includes getting into the vehicle, familiarization with the car, parking lot practice, light
traffic, and advancing to heavier traffic as needed. Something that I found very interesting
was all of the options for assistive technology related to driving a vehicle, particularly the
ability to drive a wheelchair into the vehicle and use it as the driver's seat.
Interventions related to adaptive driving and community mobility might include:
1. A group session conveying information to caregivers of those with Alzheimer's about early warning signs of unsafe driving. This could help the caregiver feel more confident in applying restrictions to their loved one about safer driving habits, such as only driving in the daylight hours.
2. After an injury, it is possible that an individual may need assistance in re-learning some
of the tasks related to driving. Something as simple as getting in and out of the car may not be as simple as it once was. Simulated tasks would be a perfect intervention for this population. For example, a car could be a valuable asset to a rehab center (a SNF) for cases such as this. The OT could take the client outside to the vehicle and work on getting in and out of the car using adaptive techniques to ensure safety and increase independence.
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