Column: Driving with confidence - Occupational therapy’s role in everyday living

April, Occupational Therapy Month, offers an opportunity to understand the unique, holistic approach that occupational therapists bring to healthcare. Occupational therapy (OT) started in the early 20th century with a focus on improving people’s lives by allowing them to complete meaningful occupations. Most people think of an occupation as “work,” however, an occupation encompasses everyday activities, jobs, sports, hobbies, and roles, like being a parent.

Occupational therapists use research and evidence-based interventions to personalize exercises, education, technology, manual techniques, neuromuscular training, and therapeutic activities to make patients safe and independent in all aspects of their lives. Specific areas of OT include acute care, neurological rehabilitation, lymphedema management, hand therapy, skilled nursing, home health, and pediatrics.

A person commonly works with an occupational therapist as a result of injury, disease, or accident that makes it difficult to complete daily activities. For example, a disease or injury can affect a person's ability to drive a vehicle, which impacts their ability to be independent and self-sufficient.

Driving is a complex and dangerous task that requires simultaneous engagement of sensory, perceptual, cognitive, and motor systems. Given this, it is important to assess a person's ability to drive before they hit the road.

Driving assessments are helpful for a variety of clients including older drivers, drivers with neurological impairments (traumatic brain injury, stroke, Parkinson’s, ALS, concussion, etc.), and drivers with other disabilities.

Comprehensive screening and evaluation is done by an occupational therapist and use a variety of tests. If appropriate, a therapist may also use a Driving Simulator, which simulates a wide range of roadway environments and real-world driving situations to assess patient driver capabilities.

A person's care team will then use all available data to make necessary adjustments to activity clearance, continue assessment and rehabilitation, set safe limits for driving or order retirement from driving, and coach them on how to utilize other community mobility resources.

Occupational therapists create the quality of life and empower everyday living for all. If you or a loved one are challenged with everyday activities, talk to your medical provider about a referral to an occupational therapist to get life back on track.

Kate Hebert, MS, OTR/L, is an occupational therapist with Barton Rehabilitation Services, offering comprehensive occupational health services for adult and pediatric patients, including hand therapy, lymphedema therapy, neurological treatment, and driving assessment with the STISIM Drive®. A referral from a physician is required to receive Occupational Therapy services. For more information, visit BartonHealth.org.