Canadian Study of Senior Drivers

Candrive — the Canadian Driving Research Initiative for Vehicular Safety in the Elderly — which is currently running a national study of 1000 older drivers, recently announced its partnership with researchers from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia.

The Canadian arm of the study is funded by a $5.5 million Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) grant lead by Dr. Shawn Marshall and Dr. Malcolm Man-Son-Hing, of the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and the University of Ottawa.

A key objective of the study is to develop a simple, objective screening tool that will assist health-care professionals to identify the characteristics of safe and unsafe older drivers. Candrive has formed strong partnerships with key seniors’ groups, and governmental and non-governmental agencies, to develop a research agenda that provides important answers about seniors and driving.

In Montreal, the project is led by McGill University professors in Occupational Therapy, Drs. Nicol Kormer-Bitensky, Isabelle Gelinas and Barbara Mazer. Dr. Korner-Bitensky indicated, “Older drivers are very focused on driving for as long as they can”. “Older drivers often react negatively to what they consider to be an unfair assessment process and an unfair portrayal of older drivers as unsafe drivers”.

To date more than 500 participants of the needed 1000 have already joined the study. “Here in Montreal we have seen enormous interest by our senior population and have reached the halfway point in recruitment”, reported Dr. Korner-Bitensky. This is an exciting project in that it will, for the first time, answer the question of which assessments should be used to best help identify safe driving in older adults.

The CIHR funding also makes it possible to conduct a series of additional projects focused on older drivers. One of these will evaluate the effectiveness of a Stay-SHARP intervention to keep older drivers safe on the road through a refresher program focused on cognitive, physical and visual exercises.

Dr. Korner-Bitensky noted that the Candrive site in Montreal is continuing to recruit those who would like to be part of this study. Any driver who is over the age of 70, who owns a 1996 or newer vehicle, and drives at least four times a week, is potentially eligible to participate. To find out more about the study please call Suzie at 514-814-2812.