University of Minnesota occupational therapy (OT) students are empowering automobile drivers through a partnership with CarFit—an educational program developed by AARP and the American Occupational Therapy Association that helps car owners make adjustments to suit their individual needs.
“We don't help people drive, but we help fit the car to the driver,” says Andrea Harrison, an OT faculty member who leads the students involved. “As occupational therapists, we can provide modifications and suggestions to help people become more adapted to their vehicle.”
As either a segment of courses on older adults or through an annual community CarFit event in Rochester, students have the opportunity to undergo training to become certified CarFit technicians.
Certified technicians evaluate aspects such as mirror placement, seat belt usage, exterior car damage from accidents, and steering wheel positioning. They also analyze the individual drivers—surveying for mobility issues that make checking blind spots and moving in and around the car difficult, which may prompt them to recommend meeting with a physical or occupational therapist.
Harrison recalls a recent situation in which students worked with a driver who recently had knee replacement surgery to acquire adaptive equipment and navigate moving in and out of his car safely.
“There are things that we take for granted,” says Harrison. “[It may be] easy now to just jump in and jump out of your car, but as you age, some of those reflexes and flexibility situations make it a little bit difficult.”
Shining a spotlight on occupational therapy
Although the OT program has partnered with CarFit for over the last decade in some form or another, a more recent development is the annual CarFit event in Rochester, when community members can have a drive-through evaluation experience free of charge. For two years now, the OT program has partnered with various companies in Rochester to put on the event, in which students can volunteer and become certified. The OT program aims to start holding the events in the Twin Cities, too.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity for them to interact with actual community members,” Harrison says. “I've seen that it builds students’ confidence to be part of these events because they're the ones that are providing the recommendations and the suggestions.”
Triet Lu, an OT doctoral student, obtained his certification at a CarFit event over the summer. After he finishes his PhD, he hopes to work as a researcher and a clinician. He thought CarFit certification could serve as a useful tool when working with older adult populations, and enjoyed the event enough that he signed up to volunteer for a second one.
“I was a little nervous at first just because I was a student, and it felt like I was supposed to be the expert … but I think my learning in the classroom really helped me be confident,” Lu says. “It was really nice working with community members and feeling like the things that I'm learning in class are applicable to the community and can make an impact.”
Harrison says many of the community members are excited by the new information they receive about their car, such as how to properly use their car’s technology. She says it also shines a spotlight on the value of occupational therapy.
“A lot of people say, ‘I didn't even know what occupational therapists were or what they do, and I have a new appreciation for occupational therapy.’ It's very good visibility,” Harrison says. “We tell them we have different places you can go for a more thorough driving evaluation. … [and] that actually opens the door for them to get even more education and exposure to occupational therapy and how we can help them.”
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