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Published on: September 18, 2012
Dementia and driving - an approach for general practice
John Carmody1, Victoria Traynor, Don Iverson
1Department of Neurology, Wollongong Hospital, New South Wales. carmody@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au
Australian Family Physician
|April 5, 2012
Summary
Determining driving fitness in dementia patients is challenging for doctors. A clear national protocol is needed to manage driving cessation without harming the patient-doctor relationship.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Neurology
- Public Health
Background:
- The aging population is increasing the number of drivers with dementia.
- Assessing driving fitness in patients with dementia presents a significant clinical challenge.
- Managing drivers with dementia is complex and hazardous.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide an overview of driving and dementia for Australian general practitioners.
- To propose an evidence-based management strategy for driving and dementia.
Main Methods:
- Literature review on driving and dementia.
- Analysis of current clinical practices and guidelines.
- Development of a proposed management strategy.
Main Results:
- Current protocols for assessing driving fitness are inconsistent.
- Clinician input on driving fitness has significant legal, ethical, emotional, and social implications.
- There is a lack of clear national guidelines for managing driving cessation in dementia patients.
Conclusions:
- A standardized national protocol is needed to guide clinicians in determining driving fitness.
- Facilitating early driving retirement requires strategies that preserve the patient-doctor relationship.
- Further research is necessary to develop effective and compassionate approaches to managing driving cessation in dementia.
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