SGI unit assesses driving capabilities of people with medical conditions

When someone is diagnosed with a cognitive disease such as Alzheimer’s, that person faces a number of challenges moving forward. Among those challenges is operating a vehicle.

There will soon be an increasing number of Canadians whose driving skills will need to be reassessed, according to a 2016 report issued by the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology called Dementia in Canada: A National Strategy for Dementia-friendly Communities. The report noted that 750,000 Canadians are currently affected by Alzheimer’s and that number is expected to increase to 1.4 million by 2031.

In Saskatchewan, SGI’s Medical Review Unit (MRU) works to ensure all the province’s drivers have the medical fitness and the skills necessary to operate a vehicle safely. As MRU manager Leann Nixon explains, people with Alzheimer’s may lose their ability to quickly react while driving, get lost or forget the rules of the road. She said that determining when it’s time for someone to retire their driver license is a “delicate balance.”

Nixon, a Registered Nurse (RN), leads a team that includes six RNs and five driver’s license administrative specialists. Together, this group assesses drivers across the province.

The process to assess a driver’s medical fitness begins when the MRU receives a report regarding a potential medical condition that may affect an individual’s driving. All drivers are legally obligated to report medical conditions when they’re first diagnosed or when they renew their driver’s license.

Physicians, optometrist, nurse practitioners and occupational therapists are legally required to report to SGI any medical condition that may affect a person’s driving. SGI, also takes reports from police, courts, concerned citizens and family members (whose identity can remain confidential).

Nixon said the next step depends on the assessment and medical information they receive. The MRU may suspend someone’s license immediately or enroll them in a medical monitoring program. People can also be assessed through an occupational program (testing their mental and cognitive abilities) or a SGI in-car assessment.

“During the in-car assessment, our examiners are evaluating the drivers on a number of points,” Nixon said. “Does the driver remember the rules of the road? Can they get from Point A to Point B without getting lost? How are their reaction times?”

Nixon said that the MRU realizes “it’s devastating to lose your license.” She said the staff has empathy for the drivers that may eventually have to give up their license and works to help them keep it for long as possible.

One way this is achieved is through putting certain restrictions on a driver, but not limiting them from driving altogether. Some of these restrictions include driving during daylight hours only or driving within a specific geographic area only.

“Giving someone a limited license is one of the ways in which we can keep them driving, especially those with dementia,” Nixon said. “By giving them a period of six months in which they can keep driving, it gives time for families to start having discussions about the fact that there’s going to be a time when their loved one needs to retire their license.”

The issue of driving with dementia is not something everyone is familiar with, especially if you haven’t been impacted by the issue personally. Due to this reason, the MRU also focuses on efforts to raise awareness.

Groups or organizations who are interested in booking a presentation are instructed to call the MRU by phone at 306-775-6176 (Regina) or 1-800-667-8015 (toll Free), or via email (mruinquiries@sgi.sk.ca).