Greg

Hi Greg,

You may find this video from fellow Enableme member Alex about how he got his licence back. You can message Alex here. 

Hi Greg

So much to tell! I will give a brief summary of my return to driving. Jan 2017 I had a stroke that knocked out the whole of my right side. Two months bedridden in hospital and went home in a wheelchair. Fortunately I "rehabilitated" my way out of the wheelchair in three months - thanks to the many wonderful and expert physios an OTs and others.

In 2018 I was supported by the WA State Head Injury Unit (SHIU) who provided three-weekly visits by an OT and a physio (separately). In early 2018 the OT suggested I should consider getting back to driving. I had not thought this possible and had not even considered it! She suggested I was a reasonable candidate and put me in touch with the Independent Living Centre - ILC (now Indigo) which coordinated the process incredibly well.

I expect you know most of this Greg. I needed an optometry test to certify I had peripheral vision, a GP assessment of my general capacity, a strength test by an ILC physio along with an assessment of what car modifications would allow me to drive. After I got the green light on all the above, ILC provided a list of driving instructors who could train me in an appropriately modified car.  One totally unexpected event was that when I had finished a meeting at the ILC the physio said "Step outside, we have an instructor with a car you can test drive". I had no prior knowledge of this (which I expect was intentional) and their confidence lifted me greatly.

It took me 15 lessons to "master" the modified car: an accelerator on the left of the brake, operated with the left foot; a spinner knob on the steering wheel - operated by my left hand - that was connected to all the electrics (indicators, wipers etc). The public health system (or some arm of government) part-subsidised the lessons and (as I did not have an income) fully subsidised the modification of my own car.

The first months of driving WERE quite tense. I was hyper-alert and my body was initially impacted by even short drives. As I grew in physical strength and function, and confidence, the driving became more comfortable. I do not drive much but the capacity to do so - with an ACROD sticker for parking - has been an immense lift to my spirits. And yes, a strong relief at not needing my wife or others to get me around.

Good luck, Greg. I hope my story helps. 

Hi Greg!

I'm writing on behalf of my husband, Mal, as he has aphasia.  First, as you have in your Step 1, we had to see our doctor to get a medical license and Mal also had to get his eyes checked. We found an excellent Occupational Therapist who specialises in driving and she assessed Mal both physically and did a "theory" test as well.  Mal has a right side deficit so she tested his strength on both sides as well as his ability to look over his shoulders etc.  Due to Mal's expressive aphasia, he had to do a verbal test with him communicating the best he could with the answers.

He then had a driving test in a modified car with a driving instructor and the OT.  They recommended he get a certain number of lessons prior to getting assessed again.  These lessons were to help him adapt to the modifications that were required to assist with his driving (he needs a spinner knob and left foot accelerator).

This was covered through NDIS which was a god-send and has provided Mal with so much independence and normality.  Due to his aphasia, I contacted the Australian Aphasia Association and purchased some cards so if he ever gets pulled over he can hand them a card to explain his condition.

All the best with getting your license :)

Hi Greg, after my stroke in July 2020 I had profound weakness left arm, hand and leg. After 8 weeks rehab I could walk short distances with a stick, but the arm and hand were far more problematic, particularly the hand. I live in a small rural community with nearest facilities an hour away, so taxis, Uber etc were not even on the radar. Occupational therapy (Via zoom) gave me a bit more functionality but I realized after 6 months that further improvement would be very slow. I was desperate, totally reliant on my sister to go anywhere and reluctant to ask apart from medical & therapy sessions. I could only see my daughters & grandchildren when they were able to make the 2 hour drive from the city - and in lockdowns that was not always possible. 
I found an occupational driving provider and arranged for an assessment. It was very expensive, but worthwhile. GP would not sign off on medical certificate until she had the assessment. The assessment report stated that I could drive with a steering wheel spinner, but only after I had completed enough sessions with the specialist driving instructor for him to OK it. 
Long story short, undertook the very expensive driving sessions, paid for yet another occ therapy assessment giving the thumbs up, got medical certificate from GP & finally got licence with both medical & vehicle modification conditions in March this year. 
I was very nervous about driving on my own, got extremely fatigued and anxious. Last month I bought a new, much smaller and lighter car and managed to put 3,000 km on clock in 1st 4 weeks, it was so much easier to drive. 
Getting my licence was like being released from prison - the independence I gained has been life changing. 
I wish you all the best in your quest to drive again Greg. One tip, practice driving and/or have occupational driving sessions when you are well rested - I found this important from the cognitive perspective more so than the physical. Even now I don’t drive if I’m at all fatigued.

My experience with getting my license back in Tasmania was similar to yours Greg. Lots of "red tape"and big expenses. I have driven for 60 years, mainly professional, in the early days taxis and public buses then interstate trucks and Shell Oil Company Sydney, petrol tankers, later back in Tasmania Mobil Aviation tankers (when the Hobart bridge went down and the route to the airport was tripled), Chauffeur cars for Bob Ansett, so all in all I had a long driving history. BUT the department of State Growth Here dug their heels in ad said you will not get your license back, if fact my OT after a driving test told me "You will Never drive again" so after employing a barrister who went to bat for me and spending lots of dollars State growth ( now Isnt that an oxymoron) said if I could find another OT to give me full tests on my ability and cognition I might have a chance, so to cut a long story down I found the only guy in southern Tasmania and he tested me and passed me, so I now have a license (only a car license. they took my combination goods license away and gave me my gun license back along with gun which was  confiscated at the start)I spent thousands getting to this stage and now they tell me I have to supply a positive medical every year. Needless to say they are not my"flavour of the month"