If my o/t recommends me to… | enableme - stroke recovery and support | enableme - stroke recovery and support

If my o/t recommends me to go on a driving course, can the dr override the suggestion

Sherylon May 5, 2019

13 Responses

My o/t says as she does not have any history post the stroke she can only go by the tests I'm doing now. I say to her, that the issues with those tests, I was like that before the stroke. I had my stroke on the 8th January 2019. I was in hospital for a week, and I had therapist come into my home 5 days a week for 6 weeks. I have gone to the hospital for 3 sessions with the OT and speech therapists. I have no physical issues. I maintain my home, I ride my bike to the shops and my counselor appointments, regularly look after my grandchildren, mostly aged 3,2,1. or taking the older children for bike rides to the pool. I struggle with the fact that the OT is recommended me to go on this driving course, which will cost me $650 as I'm not a pensioner and not in the low income, but I haven't worked since January, my leave is about to run out, I do not see my neurologist until the 29th June.

13 Responses

Sheryl

07/05/2019 12:12

Thank you Angus.

I have had an honest conversation with my o/t therapist at the hospital.

Yesterday i was sign off my speech therapist as she feels only time will enhance my recovery.

For me to slow people down if the conversation is too fast or too much details. She says in memory sessions if i have to remember up to 6- 8 numbers i sometimes dont recall it.

I explained to both therapists that is normal for me.

I tried to explain my "normal" learning is i have to write things down..

The Speechie said she has no issues with my written and conversation skills and she will be writing to my dr and to SHIU her report.

The o/t tested me and had concerned about listening and searching for 2 items.

I took my daughter with me and the outcome was that a lady like myself said she was ok to drive and had an accident, so now we all have to have this assessment.

I said thats not fair, that everyone should be penalised.

She said apparantly that there are only 2 driving schools that do this.

I filled out the form that the ot gave me. I said i had a stroke, that i am on aspirin and took it into the transport dept. They queried who told me i couldnt drive cause there was nothing on the computor. I just checked and it says active. So what dies this mean for me?

I havent driven since the 7th January.

I did call my neurologist office, i should have had an appt 3 months after, but they are behind so im having to wait for 5 months.

My daughter asked her about rewording her letter to the dr, she wont. The only thong came out of our conversation was:

1. Did i want another ot therapist.

I said no, cause i dont want to have to go through all again.

2. Redo my tests that she said were down. One of them i am positive she said it was a time test, but she said it wasn't.

My daughter asked "what is happening now. My mother is used to being active, working, driving her grandchildren to their sport activities and just staying home is frustrating her".

I will ring tomorrow to see if i can get an earlier appt.

StrokeLine

13/05/2019 06:48

Hi Sheryl,

Thanks for contacting us on EnableMe.

I’m sorry to hear about your stroke, however, it sounds like you have worked hard and have come a long way on your recovery journey. It is really wonderful that you have been able to enjoy cycling and looking after your grandchildren.

Having a driving assessment post-stroke is quite common and we understand that the assessments can be expensive. Many stroke survivors we speak to have difficulty coming to terms with recommendations by their treating therapists. I would strongly encourage you that have an open and honest conversation with your occupational therapist about where you feel that you are at with your recovery and ask for feedback on their assessments. There are a number of ways a stroke can impact an individual’s ability to safely return to driving. Stroke can affect your reaction time, ability to solve difficult problems, ability to concentrate and your memory. If you feel that the occupational therapists recommendations and assessments don’t accurately reflect your performance, you can speak to your local GP or neurologist for further guidance. A medical professional (GP or neurologist) has the ability to provide medical clearance for return to driving with or without an OT driving assessment, based on their clinical judgement. You can also call your neurologist to see if you can arrange an earlier review. It is useful for your occupational therapist and doctor to work collaboratively together to give you a joint decision.

I have included a fact sheet on return to driving after stroke for you to have a read through. The assessments have two components, a driving assessment (the on-road component) and a cognitive assessment (the off-road component). These are time consuming and detailed, so unfortunately the price you have been quoted is around the average price. If you are happy to look for another OT to perform the assessment, it is possible that there could be subsidised OT assessors in your area. Some hospitals, rehab hospitals, and community centres do have available occupational therapists, who can conduct these assessments at a lower rate. It is important to note that these subsidised assessments can have waiting lists. If this is something you feel could be helpful, I would recommend calling your local hospital/s and/or community rehab centre to see if they offer driving assessments at a subsidised rate. You could also try Occupational Therapy Australia, as they also list the subsidised assessors.

If you would like to speak with one of our StrokeLine health professionals about this is more detail, please feel free to call us on StrokeLine 1800 787 653 between 9AM-5PM AEST Monday-Friday.

Best wishes to you,

Maddy and Carol (StrokeLine)

Clive

16/05/2019 06:07

Sheryl

i was recommended to have an OT assessment which was all done and completed at Monash Health and it cost me a total of $60 I think.

Regards Cli

Sheryl

12/06/2019 15:52

Thank you for replying

Sheryl

21/06/2019 11:13

Hello Ian.the driving course wasnt from Fiona Stanley hospital.

My ot therapist gave me the name if the course, i havent got the details now.

I was fortunate that i was able to get My licence processed on the 28th.

I was so relieved..

CathFirenz

17/05/2019 15:33

Hi Sheryl,

Your SHIU coordinator is a good resource regarding the return to driving process if you are unsure regarding the department of transport forms, OT driving services etc.

Fiona Stanley is the only public hospital that have a driving clinic in Perth but people are only eligible if they attended that hospital for their stroke rehab.

Cheers

Ian

21/06/2019 08:23

Hi Sheryl,

I am fascinated that Fiona Stanley is the only public hospital that has a driving clinic. How do I get in touch with the clinic.

Thankyou

Ian

21/06/2019 08:30

Hi Sheryl,

Forgot to add that I attended Fiona Stanley rehab and are reluctant to pay 650 dollars that I have been quoted for the test.

Thanks again

Ian

Sheryl

21/06/2019 12:13

Hi Ian, i was do fortunate that i didn't have to pay the$650.

If you are on a pension or low income its only $100.

I only did the rehab at Fiona while i spent that first week, then had rehab from Rockingham Hospital.

Now through SHIU, they are negotiating with my bosses about me returning back to work.

Regards Sheryl

Ian

21/06/2019 11:11

Hi Sheryl,

Miss the driving but used to ride with the Over 55 Cycling Club but since my stroke have only ridden around the river and minimal road riding at this stage.

thanks

Ian

15/07/2019 09:23

Getting back to driving.

i had a stroke 7 months ago now and fortunately I do not have any sign of disability.

The neurologist at the hospital recommended that I return to driving but apparently I needed to be cleared by my GP for getting my license back if I wanted to practice in a dual controlled car or a normal car.

So I need a permit from the Transport Department to practice driving again in a dual controlled car (which the GP agreed to) and the lessons cost $100 for an hour. But I can't practice in a normal car.

So in WA an OT driving assessment is $650 dollars but I am not eligible for any rebates which apply in other circumstances. So for other people it could be cheaper.

If I fail my OT driving test I can resit my OT driving test later at the cost of about $400.

My private health fund will only pay about $40 of the OT supervised driving test.

I am doing my test in a manual dual controlled car rather than an automatic.

Fiona Stanley Hospital said they did not have an OT driving assessment.

Furthermore I needed an eye test by an Optomerist/ Optomologist that I had to lodge with the OT driving assessment before the test.

Apparently my application for an OT driving assessment lapses after about six months and I may have been required to lodge all the paperwork again. This did not happen in my case.

Sheryl

16/07/2019 22:41

Hi Ian, I was so lucky. My o/t therapist admitted that she pre-judged me to earlier, i asked to redo some of my tests.

I started taking some natural tablets for stress which calmed me down... with her sessions I would get upset from her only focusing on what i couldnt do, and i was becoming depressed.

She informed my Dr, and my Dr signed my forms from the Licence Medical Dept and I was granted to drive on the 28th June.

I waited 10 days and rang them, they said they sent me a letter but they didnt so i got them to email so i had proof i could drive.

Im so happy not having to pay the $650.

Ian

01/09/2019 01:26

I got my driving license back after an OT assessment and driving test with the OT in the back seat and the driving instructor in the front seat in a dual controlled car.

I had to have a vision test by an Optomerist and had to lodge this with my application for an OT driving test.

I had 5 lessons beforehand and the advantage of this is that I knew the driving course, the car and the instructor before the test so this built up my confidence prior to the actual test.

I waited 8 months after my stroke to take the test and fortunately in the meantime I think as a result of playing brain training games my cognition, reaction time, sensory overload and impulsitivity had improved.

i was fortunate that I did not need modifications to the car but these are available.

I felt that the OT test was very comprehensive in terms of reaction time, vision and cognitive processing time and gave me the confidence to drive again and assured both me and my wife about my driving ability. So I am glad I had to do the OT test, despite the expense.

The actual communication between the Department of Transport, Independent Living Centre where the OT worked , my GP and myself was conflicting as to what forms I had to lodge and was a very confusing process even for my competent wife who negotiated on my behalf with the help of the IndependentvLiving Centre with the Department of Transport.

But after what could only be described as a burocratic nightmare I got there in the end and now I am driving.

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