A Systematic Review of Effective Interventions and Strategies to Support the Transition of Older Adults From Driving to Driving Retirement/Cessation

Anne E Dickerson ¹, Tadhg Stapleton ², Jamie Bloss ³

¹Department of Occupational Therapy, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.
²Discipline of Occupational Therapy, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland.
³Laupus Health Sciences Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.
⁴School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
⁵Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
⁶Graduate Research School and Researcher Development, Kingston University, London, UK.
⁷Graduate School of Science and Technology Policy, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, South Korea.
⁸Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Western Switzerland (HES-SO), Delémont, Switzerland.
⁹Division of Occupational Therapy, Department of Neurobiology, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden.
¹⁰Division of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
¹¹Division Occupational Therapy, Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
¹²Institute of Health and Wellbeing, Federation University, Churchill, Victoria, Australia.
¹³School of Rehabilitation Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

⁰Department of Occupational Therapy, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.

Innovation in Aging +

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July 1, 2024

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

Older adults often rely on cars and don't plan driving cessation. This review identifies strategies and programs to help seniors transition to driving retirement, ensuring continued mobility and participation.

Area Of Science

Gerontology
Transportation Safety
Public Health

Background

Older adults in Western countries heavily depend on private vehicles.
Proactive planning for driving cessation is often lacking among this demographic.
This transition impacts mobility, participation, and aging in place.

Purpose Of The Study

To review research on interventions and strategies for older adults transitioning from driving.
To identify effective methods for supporting driving cessation in seniors.
To examine programs and toolkits for driving retirement.

Main Methods

A comprehensive literature search was conducted across 9 databases.
Keywords and MeSH terms included "drivers," "cessation of driving," and "older adult drivers."
Screening of over 9,800 titles and abstracts, followed by detailed review of 206 papers, led to the selection of 12 papers for data extraction.

Main Results

Three controlled studies focused on intervention programs for driving cessation.
Nine studies provided exploratory or descriptive strategies for older drivers, families, and healthcare professionals.
Driver retirement programs showed promise but had methodological limitations.

Conclusions

Key themes for successful transition include addressing reluctance, involving multiple stakeholders, and taking a proactive approach.
Shifting focus from assessment to proactive planning and enabling "ownership" of the decision is crucial.
Planning alternative transportation is essential for older adults to maintain mobility and participation, supporting aging in place.

Keywords:

Driving Driving Retirement/Cessation Fitness to Drive Occupational Therapy Transportation

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