Driving and dementia: Who's in the driver's seat? S2, EP-4

A person with dementia continuing to drive is often a challenging and sensitive area for GPs to navigate. Occupational Therapy Driving Assessors are ideally placed to assist GPs in this.

In this episode the team talks with Matt Underwood, OT Driving Assessor, who discusses driving assessments and how they can assist the GP as well as the person living with dementia. 

 

SHOW NOTES:

Austroads Assessing Fitness to Drive:  https://austroads.com.au/drivers-and-vehicles/assessing-fitness-to-drive

DriveSafe Drive Aware App:  DriveSafe DriveAware on the App Store (apple.com)

Driver knowledge test: Intersections - https://learndrivesurvive.com.au/practice-driver-knowledge-test-dkt-intersections/ 

Article:  Lee, L., Molnar, F., (2017) Driving and dementia: Efficient approach to driving safety concerns in family practice. Canadian Family Physician 63 p27-31.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28115437/

Dementia Australia
Providing support, information and services for people living with dementia, carers, family and health professionals

National Dementia Helpline – 1800100500
https://www.dementia.org.au/

Dementia Support Australia (DSA)
Dementia Support Australia (DSA) provides the Dementia Behaviour Management Advisory Service (DBMAS) and Severe Behaviour Response Teams (SBRT) nationwide. Dementia Support Australia offers a free national service operating 24/7 365 days a year.

24 hour Helpline 18000699799
https://www.dementia.com.au/

Carers Australia
Carers Australia is the national peak body representing Australia’s unpaid carers, advocating on their behalf to influence policies and services at a national level. It works collaboratively with partners and its member organisations, the Network of state and territory Carers Associations, to deliver a range of essential national carer services.

Phone [phone]
https://www.carersaustralia.com.au/

RACGP Silver Book
Medical care of older persons in residential aged care facilities (Silver Book) aims to provide GPs and other health professionals including residential aged care nurses, with a resource for delivering quality health care in residential aged care facilities. https://www.racgp.org.au/clinical-resources/clinical-guidelines/ key-racgp-guidelines/view-all-racgp-guidelines/silver-book

RACGP Red Book - Guidelines for preventative activities in general practice - Dementia 
https://www.racgp.org.au/clinical-resources/clinical-guidelines/ key-racgp-guidelines/view-all-racgp-guidelines/red-book/ preventive-activities-in-older-age/dementia

My Aged Care - dementia resources
https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/getting-started/health- conditions/dementia

Cognitive Screening Tests Standardised Mini-Mental State Examination (SMMSE)
Frequently used in general practice as included in most popular medical software programs. MMSE score require for prescribing dementia medications on PBS

https://www.ihpa.gov.au/sites/default/files/publications/ smmse-tool-v2.pdf - .css-j9qmi7{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:1rem;margin-top:2.8rem;width:100%;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:start;justify-content:start;padding-left:5rem;}@media only screen and (max-width: 599px){.css-j9qmi7{padding-left:0;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;}}.css-j9qmi7 svg{fill:#27292D;}.css-j9qmi7 .eagfbvw0{-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;color:#27292D;}