Driving Rehab

For those who want to keep (safely) driving longer... consider submitting to a therapeutic driving evaluation.

I did not know such a thing even existed. It does take a prescription to be seen for evaluation. The specialty that handles it is occupational therapy.

I've not scheduled yet, but, from how I understand it, an OT, usually one who works exclusively with driving therapy, will evaluate limitations and difficulties the person has with driving, and can suggest modifications that will allow the person to continue driving. By way of add-ons to the interior of the car, i.e. more rear view mirrors, steering wheel modifications, etc.

Whereas a state's motor vehicle department would be happy to just take a driver's license away, this is the exact opposite, the goal is to keep the person driving, and they do not report to the motor vehicle department.

If you're interested to see if it can be of help to you, there is a website: AOTA (The American Occupational Therapy Association inc) where you can do a search for finding a driving specialist. This info pertains to the US, don't know about Canada or other countries. And again, you would need a prescription.

I'm amazed that so many here are driving to be honest. I have such trouble that I'm not driving at all anymore--and my only symptoms are in my hands and weakness in my legs.

I almost wrecked the car the other day because my foot wouldn't do what I told it to do--and my hands tend to just kind of collapse on me. I'm afraid I'll kill someone else or myself trying to drive.

Hi Rose,

Thanks for posting this interesting information. I have to be evaluated by my doctor annually for fitness to drive but this makes more sense to me. To have a driving expert see where your strengths and weaknesses are and see if they can be compensated for to allow a safer and longer period of driving. Hope they have such things in Canada.

John

I passed my last driving test last July but haven't been behind the wheel since October. The end to 40 years and many, many miles of independence but now I have a chauffeur..

I have a truck I like very much but have not driven since befote Thanksgiving last year. As said by notme , I can not lift my foot from excellarator to brake. The last couple months I was driving, I would pull on my pant leg to lift my foot to the brake

I had a '73 Olds Convertible, sold it yesterday. What's funny is that the guy who bought it had a hip replacement recently. He was hobbling around with a walker, I was sitting in my chair, we both burst out laughing.

Essbo, that's a classic car, sorry you had to sell it.

BarryG said:

Essbo, that's a classic car, sorry you had to sell it.

Click to expand...

Yeah, and those great big doors made it real easy to transfer for a drive.

Rose-

I actually know something about this!:-o

Last fall Jim did an evaluation for possibly using hand controls. He stopped driving in the summer (lifting your leg from the gas pedal to the brake is not a good thing!), and his neuro suggested he could try hand controls. (if I was sitting closer to the neuro, I would have kicked him under the table!LOL)

For us it meant going to a rehab hospital where the OT specialist worked. Not all OTs do this eval; and they are located at rehab hospitals (at least in our area).
It does require a script BUT medicare does not cover this; for us it was a $300 charge!

It took about 2.5 hrs; they do the same as at the clinic visit where strength & reflexes are tested, take a history, note any other problems.
Since we already had our van, we talked about what works with that. Ideally, people see the OT before the van (but usually when you have your PWC- Jim still had a loaner at that time; we did things "a** backwards" I guess!)

When done in the proper order, they can suggest different vehicles that might suit your needs. They know all the different conversions & adaptation that can be done. These specialists work with the VA & vets for their vans. It was interesting to see all of the various adaptations that can accommodate a certain disability. (think para & quadrapeligics)

In the end, Jim didn't go this route for various reasons. Had he decided he wanted to do it, in addition to further adaptations to the van, a certain number of "training hours" was required at an additional fee (can't recall amount, but it was substantial)

As for the DMV, just before he went for the eval, he needed his driver's license renewed & the new picture taken. I drove him there, he entered in his PWC, when it was his turn he rolled up to the counter, gave the guy the card, filled in a form, was told "look right here" & 2 mins. later was handed his renewed driver's license! No questions asked!?!?:shock:

So did Jim add hand controls to the van? If so, how does he like them? My used van came with the device and I find it excellent for braking but think I would find it tiring to use it for the accelerator. There is quite a bit of back-spring on mine.

Don't let your insurance company know about your "problem," or they will try to cancel your whole family policy! Just use common sense! Either you can drive or you can't. This WILL affect your insurance. You are a "risk," with your d x . We had to get a letter from my husband's doc saying he could still drive to prevent our insurance from being cancelled. It's less hassle just to NOT let "them" know.

I don't know about the eval for driving, as we found that it would be an independent therapist, not covered by insurance, as Rose stated. The OCT at the clinic told us it would be an ongoing evaluation ($$$). We nixed that, and this was a very long time ago. We should have never told our insurance agent he had ALS. Take heed!

The DMV just wants your money. They don't care if you can see or drive. LOL I took my mom to get her DL renewed after two really bad accidents (hospital, rehab, assisted living). She hobbled in with a cane and bad glasses. They didn't even check her sight! Scary! Maybe pALS can drive better than most!?!

Edit: I'm not saying you shouldn't get an eval if you feel you could drive with modifications and you can afford it!

John-
No, we didn't get the hand controls.

1) we thought we could just remove the driver seat & have him roll into position with his chair. For long distances, I would drive after putting the seat back in place.
Not that easy- because he is tall, it would require further conversion (since the PWC sits higher than the regular seat). OT didn't really recommend this, what he wanted Jim to do was transfer from his chair to the driver seat. This was already hard for him to do.

2) With the hand controls in place (and they can be disengaged for regular driving) I found them to be in my way when I would work the gas & brake pedal (my knee would bump them- I am also fairly tall)

3) When he did do a test drive with hand controls, he felt some "fatigue/pressure" in his arms (he does not have clinical weakness in his arms) just going around the block. Perhaps that was that "backspring" you mention? Although I think the OT said that could be adjusted?

4) the cost of adding the hand controls was around $2000. Just not worth it for the amount of driving he would need to do- he no longer works, I would still have to take him to the gym/pool since he needs help there, and there were very few places he needed to go without me.

There comes a time where you just have to say OK, that's it.

CJ, with adaptations like this, he would have to go through the training from the OT. That includes taking the "handicapped" person to the DMV (with the necessary paperwork filled out) to take a driver's test to get a "disability" license. That license then would cover the insurance issues- keep in mind there are papers from the necessary drs. It can be done, it just didn't make sense to us in light of a progressive disease- even with a slow progression.

As I told him, he has to get use to my driving- sooner or later! He was hoping it would be later!:roll:

Marianne, I'm sure that you are a great chauffeur! I am really getting used to being driven around and since I can't talk either I can't make any comments.

When I bought my wheelchair van used it had hand controls already installed and I told them to leave them in! I hope big brother doesn't read this. I taught myself to use them. It was pretty simple, the hardest part was re-learning the reflexes to STOP when needed. But I find it pretty easy now and I only use my hands. It gets tiring to use the accelerator on long stretches so I switch to cruise control. The hand controls don't interfere with normal foot usage so when my wife drives there is no problem. DMV, insurance don't know. None of their damn business!

-Tom

Hi Mare,

Thanks for the thorough reply to my question. It sounds like you were facing just too many hassles to make the renovation worthwhile. Like Tom, my used rampvan came with hand controls and they have worked very well for me and are not in the way of able-bodied drivers. I have used them on rental cars and sometimes they are very much in the way but I suspect it is how they were installed or possibly the model. You shouldn't have to disengage them to drive without them - just don't use them and drive normally with the gas pedal and brake.

I am staggered by the estimate of $2000. You should be able to get them for about $200.