 | Deb Wetta, RN, is a Director of Marketing/RN liaison for Wesley Rehabilitation Hospital, an affiliate of HealthSouth, provider of inpatient and outpatient physical, occupational and speech-language therapies and exclusive home of the AutoAmbulator, Makoto and Interactive Metronome. Deb can be reached at Wesley Rehabilitation Hospital, 8338 W. 13th Street in Wichita, 316-729-1140. |
Health & Medicine
2008-06-01 13:45:00
Driving tests available for stroke victims?
QUESTION: My neighbor suffered a minor stroke last year and seems to have recovered enough to consider driving again. Is there a test available to help determine if he’s ready and able to drive a car?
ANSWER: It sounds like your friend would benefit from a driving evaluation. Performed by a specially trained therapist, a driving evaluation is an assessment of a person’s physical and cognitive ability to get back behind the wheel. This type of evaluation is ideal for someone who has temporarily lost their ability to drive as a result of a stroke, spinal cord injury, neurological disease, amputation, head injury, or other conditions that have affected their physical, sensory or motor abilities. It is also a good way to determine if someone is no longer able to safely operate an automobile as a result of the aging process.
A comprehensive driving evaluation consists of both off-road and on-road assessments that determine a person’s mental well-being, physical conditioning, and skills as they pertain to the task of driving.
Typically, the therapist begins with a series of in-clinic, pre-driving assessments that examine the individual’s mental status and vision as well as muscle strength, balance, and reflexes. If the individual passes these tests, they are placed behind the wheel of a vehicle to perform the specific functions needed to perform the task of driving.
These in-automobile tests begin in the safety of a parking lot, advancing to public streets only if testing proves the person capable. In-traffic tests begin at street level before advancing to highway driving.
The results of a driving evaluation can also determine if the driver has the ability to return to the road but is in need of some additional training or adaptive equipment. In these cases, the therapist can work with the individual, his or her physician, or any sponsoring agent to connect with the proper programs or adaptive aids. The therapist also uses the outcomes of the driving evaluation to make recommendations regarding the patient’s driving capabilities to the Kansas Division of Motor Vehicles and to the patient’s physician.
In Kansas, participation in a driving evaluation requires a person age 18 or older to have a valid driver’s permit or license. Although driving evaluations are not covered by Medicare or private insurance providers, the cost of the service is typically regarded as an affordable option for families concerned about an aging loved ones ability to continue driving as well as for patients recovering from injury or illness who are looking to regain more of their independence.
