Driving and Community Mobility

The purpose of this paper is to describe the role of occupational therapy in the area of driving and community mobility. The intended audience for this paper includes occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, and stakeholders outside of the occupational therapy profession.

Community mobility, an instrumental activity of daily living (IADL), is defined as "moving around in the community and using public or private transportation, such as driving, walking, bicycling, or accessing and riding in buses, taxi cabs, or other transportation systems" (American Occupational Therapy Association [AOTA], 2008, p. 631). Community mobility or transportation is essential for independence and access to engagement in other everyday life activities (occupations). Community mobility, specifically driving, contributes to health and quality of life (U.S. Department of Transportation, 2003) by supporting independence, a sense of identity, social participation, and access to health services and the community (Oxley & Whelan, 2008). Loss of the fundamental privilege of driving and community mobility in adult life is exemplified by the feelings of loneliness, isolation, and depressive symptoms that often arise when one suddenly loses the ability to drive (Marottoli et al., 1997).

Driving and community mobility are included within the domain of occupational therapy (AOTA, 2008) and in the profession's Scope of Practice (AOTA, 2010). Appendix Aillustrates some of the aspects of driving and community mobility within the domain of occupational therapy practice and describes the complexity and influence of this critical IADL.

Service Provision Across the Lifespan and Modes of Transportation

Occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants address driving and other aspects of community mobility in a variety of practice settings with individual clients of all ages, organizations, and populations. When addressing community mobility and driving, occupational therapy practitioners1 assess the client's sensory, cognitive, and motor performance skills; performance patterns; safety concerns; the contextual and environment supports or barriers; and the influence of community mobility and driving on the client's ability to participate in daily life. Occupational therapy practitioners also address mental health issues that may arise when community mobility is compromised. This comprehensive set of skills deems occupational therapy a critical and essential health care discipline to meet the complex demands of driving and community mobility concerns.

These occupational therapy practitioners share the common goals of supporting participation in the community; optimizing...