3 Easy Tips to Support Your Love Ones When It is Time for Them to Stop Driving
3 Easy Driving Retirement Tips Not driving and driving retirement can be a big change. Families often ask me, “How can we make the transition from driver to passenger easier? How can I help my mom/dad with not driving?” Here are three tips to turn to time and time again: Click Here! I hope they…
Read MoreAre You an OT with Questions About Driving?
My client wants to drive, what do I do now? Driving is quickly becoming one of the biggest goals for our clients. In many ways, it is the ultimate instrumental activity of daily living and most complex. If a client can drive, it opens doors for living independently and engaging in the community freely. Not…
Read MoreCould Hand Controls Help You?
Are you experiencing tingling in your feet? Tingling or numbness in your feet could be a sign of sensation loss. Sensation changes in our feet can happen for lots of different reasons. From diabetes to neuropathy to spinal cord injuries, sensation loss in your feet can impact safe driving. We rely on sensation while driving…
Read MorePositive Driving Conversations
Celebrate Older Driver Safety Awareness Week 2018 with positive conversations about driving! Conversations about driving do not and should not always be about ‘taking the keys away,’ but rather should be about choices for the future. Here are some tips: Start conversations about driving retirement early! We will all outlive our ability to drive, so…
Read MoreFamilys & Caregivers: Worried about Mom’s Driving?
Are you worried about Mom’s driving? Yesterday, a loving adult daughter called me. Over the holiday weekend, she enjoyed lots of time with her parents and siblings. She said it was so wonderful, but she walked away with some concerns about her mom’s health. The daughter told me that her mom was diagnosed with…
Read MoreDrivers: I will Advocate for You
If you want to drive, and you have the skills and determination, I will be an advocate for you! Even if it means spending hours at the Department of Motor Vehicle Transportation so you can obtain your updated driver’s license! I will advocate for you! Six months ago, I stepped complete out of my…
Read MoreDrivers: 4 Safety Tips to Keep You Safe this Autumn
Autumn is here! As you head out to enjoy that fall foliage, here are 4 tips to keep you safe this season: Give your vehicle a checkup Time to give your car a little extra tender loving care. Clean your windows & head lights for improved visibility. Check your tire pressure (tires lose pressure as…
Read MoreOT Strategies: Documenting & Billing Driving In Generalist Practice
Question: How do you bill and document pre-driving interventions? Here’s my response on documentation & a few thoughts on billing as well: Documentation If we are truly viewing clients through a holistic lens, we should consistently address driving and community mobility as an integral component of an occupational therapy plan of care and include evidence…
Read MoreHalloween Safety Tips: Safe Trick or Treating in Your Community
As you head out to enjoy Halloween this evening, here are a few safety tips to help keep you and your little trick or treaters safe while navigating your communities! Have a Plan – Plan out your safe trick or treat route before you go and let your ghosts & goblins know what to do…
Read MoreOT Strategies: Can my client with dementia drive?
Question: Can my client with dementia drive? When should I consider a driving evaluation for my client with dementia and when should I be talking about driving retirement? Dementia is a tough disease. It changes as it progresses. Understanding a client’s stage of dementia can be helpful for understanding how to intervene. I like to…
Read MoreOT Strategies: My client wants to drive. What can I do to help?
Question: What can I do to help prepare my patient for returning to driving? Do you have a client who wants to return to driving? You are stuck with where to start? Then read on! This blog includes tips and suggestions to help you expand and improve your driving & community mobility interventions. Resources for…
Read MoreOT Strategies: How can I improve reaction time?
Question: How can I improve my client’s reaction time? I was recently asked by an OT colleague, what can I do to improve my client’s reaction time? What is reaction time & how is it measured? Lots of things come into play when it comes to a client’s ‘reaction time.’ If we think about reaction…
Read MoreOT Strategies: Using the Driving Pathways by Diagnosis Sheets for OT Practitioners to Increase DCM in Your Own Practice
The Driving Pathways by Diagnosis Sheets for OT Practitioners was developed by American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) and Genesis Rehab Services through support from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). to be used when developing client specific interventions for driving. The resources are based on common medical diagnosis groups including arthritis, cardiac conditions, stroke,…
Read MoreOT Strategies: How to have Positive Driving Conversations with Clients
Is your client a driver? Are you ready to help, but not sure where to start? Use these resources: To initiate positive conversations on safe driving and community mobility. As general education for drivers, families, physicians, and other members of the medical team. To lead short educational presentations. Educational resources for vehicle technology, physical fitness,…
Read MoreOn the Air: Susie Shares her Story
Have you ever thought, maybe I want to be a driver rehab specialist? Or maybe you are on the other side of the fence thinking, why would anyone do that? Listen in as Susie shares how it all started! She talks about how she found occupational therapy, navigated into driving rehab, and the twists and…
Read MoreLife is a Highway…
Lesson’s Learned from My First 30 Days in Private Practice This spring my professional career hit a major traffic jam when I was laid off and found myself searching for an alternate route. To say it was difficult, would be an understatement. I was not quite sure what I would do next, but I knew…
Read MoreFacebook Live with Dr. Touchinsky
Get a peek into our relationship as Dr. Buddy Touchinsky & I go live to chat about Driving Rehab Listen in as we talk about: What the heck I do all day Occupational therapy Driving rehab Who needs a driving evaluation How to learn more! https://www.facebook.com/doctortouchinsky/videos/641934942860197/
Read MoreDriving Simulators
I got a great question today about driving simulators and brands. Here are some quick thoughts: Driving Simulators DO NOT REPLACE a driving evaluation However, driving simulators are great for preparing the client to return to driving or, in some cases, to help with driving retirement conversations Not all driving simulators are created equal! So…
Read MoreOT Strategies: Tips for Discussing Driving Retirement
What is Driving Retirement? Driving retirement is the transition from being an active driver to becoming an active passenger. Driving is a significant and very meaningful occupation. Many of us identify driving as the link to independence, to our identity and to supporting other key occupations. Losing driving as an occupation can feel devastating to…
Read MoreDriving & Dementia: OT Strategies for Evaluation & Intervention
With the changes the dementia disease process causes in the brain, it is no surprise that the ability to drive would be affected. Current research related to individuals with dementia and driving indicates that it is not a matter of if they should stop driving, but when they should they stop driving. Therefore, in this…
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