A UNIVERSITY of Queensland program to help older people decide when to stop driving might be delivered electronically in South Australia after receiving a research grant.
The $15,000 grant will fund an investigation into the program’s potential for telehealth delivery.
University of Queensland health sciences researcher Associate Professor Louise Gustafsson said people spent much of their childhood waiting to be able to drive, and clung to their licence in their adult years.
She said the intervention, CarFreeMe, aimed to help older people and others, including stroke survivors and people with dementia, to navigate driving cessation.
“We offer psychological, social and practical support,” she said. “One thing our research team knows and feels strongly about is that life does not stop just because you cannot drive.
“Respondents use fairly emotive language when describing driving cessation, such as ‘How can I live my life without driving?’
“We want to help people adjust and be OK with it, then gain the confidence to explore other alternatives and get out into the community.”
Associate Professor Gustafsson said telehealth was expected to play a central role in delivering the program in remote areas. She said the project would help people make their own decision to cease driving.
“It allows them to feel more in control, have a plan in place and be more confident and comfortable with themselves, and ultimately still get to do the things that are important to them.
“The feedback so far is that CarFreeMe helps people feel more ready to make the right decision at the right point in time.”
