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Hana Osman, PhD, MSSW, Community and Family Health, University of South Florida College of Public Health, 13201 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., MDC 56, Tampa, FL 33612, 8139740989, hosman@hsc.usf.edu
Driving freely from place to place epitomizes our sense of independence. Limiting or depriving an individual from the right to drive must be supported by evidence that the individual’s ability to drive is impaired, and that the person’s actions threaten his/her health or life, or the health or life of others. As the fundamental principle of autonomy and self-determination frames the American ethical approach to protecting the rights of competent adults, the relevance and application of the principle of autonomy of progressively impaired older drivers must be examined. The practical application of the principle of autonomy in research and in receiving medical care, takes the form of giving informed consent. Applying the principle of autonomy to progressively impaired older adults may take the form of completing directives for future decisionmaking, including the decision to limit driving privileges. This presentation will: a) outline the ethical principles that guide the practice of public health professionals; b) examine how older persons’ autonomy can be protected; c) outline actions that constitute unsafe driving; d) present assessment tools that formal and informal caregivers can use to assess older adults’ driving; and e) suggest ways of monitoring the progression of driving impairment in older adults. A case study will be presented for illustration.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Aging, Ethics Training
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.