Health professionals support safe dementia driving

GPs play a vital role in what can often be a difficult process for their patients. To assist, a partnership between Alzheimer’s Australia Vic and RACV has resulted in the launch of two important new resources – a quick reference card showing the licencing and clinical pathway for a driver with dementia and a tip sheet for approaching conversations on the topic.

These resources have been approved by The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners as Accepted Clinical Resources.

“I really appreciated the support and advice I received from health professionals when I was taking the steps towards giving up driving. It made a real difference to somebody like me who had always driven,” says Ray Morgan, who is living with dementia.

“Even though I no longer drive, I have successfully managed to remain mobile through the use of taxis and public transport. It is important that all people with a diagnosis of dementia are given the information they need to enable them to do the same,” Mr Morgan says.

Maree McCabe, Alzheimer’s Australia Vic chief executive, says: “With appropriate support, people living with dementia can remain safe and competent drivers, particularly in the early stages of the condition.”

“As the condition progresses, however, it can have serious effects on memory, reactions, perception and driving ability. At some point, a person living with dementia will need to stop driving. Throughout this journey, GPs and other health professionals such as occupational therapists play an important role, together with VicRoads, in ensuring the safety of everyone on our roads,” Ms McCabe says.

The role of a GP includes providing advice about the impact of the condition, discussing the legal requirement to report a diagnosis of dementia to VicRoads, assessing fitness to drive based on medical standards and providing advice for staying mobile once a person has stopped driving.

Many GPs would be aware that, even when talking to patients without a diagnosis of dementia, difficulties with driving could be a sign of cognitive impairment. This can often become one of the key indicators for seeking a diagnosis.

Dr Malcolm Clark, GP consultant at Alzheimer’s Australia Vic says: “Discussing driving with patients who have cognitive impairment can often be difficult. It is a sensitive issue and GPs are often concerned about the potential detrimental effect on their relationship with the patient.

“The feeling is sometimes that, in having these conversations, we are playing a role in taking away the patient’s freedom. There is often guilt associated with that. The resources developed by Alzheimer’s Australia Vic and RACV should help us as health professionals find the best way possible to deal with what are sometimes difficult and complex situations, support people living with dementia to accept that there is a time to reduce and stop driving, and advise them on other ways to remain mobile,” Dr Clark says.

An animated video of the quick reference card will be released online later this month. Order or download the pathways quick reference card and conversations tip sheet.