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|  Fairlawn Clinicians Participate in AMA's Older Drivers Project Two clinicians from Fairlawn Rehabilitation Hospital will soon be educating other healthcare professionals about older driver safety and how to assess patients for medical fitness to drive. Dr. Elizabeth Roaf, a physiatrist at Fairlawn, and Joanne Boule, a Fairlawn occupational therapist, are part of a four-member team sponsored by the Massachusetts Medical Society that was selected by the American Medical Association to participate in its Older Drivers Project. The Massachusetts team, one of only five chosen from across the country, will first take part in a comprehensive training program at the AMA's Chicago headquarters. The two-day program will enhance their understanding of the public health aspects of the older driver and enable them to identify, evaluate, and manage medically at-risk drivers. After completing the program, the team will conduct workshops to train other area physicians and healthcare professionals. Dr. Roaf, the leader of the Massachusetts team, is no stranger to the issue of impaired drivers. Certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation, internal medicine, and spinal cord injury medicine, she chaired the Massachusetts Medical Society's Working Group on Impaired Drivers. Last year, under Dr. Roaf's leadership, the Group published "Medical Perspectives on Impaired Driving," a guidebook for physicians treating patients whose ability to drive might be impaired by a medical condition. The guide contains clinical information on medical conditions that can lead to impaired driving abilities, important risk management information, and extensive driving and mobility assistance resources for patients. Joanne oversees the development and implementation of Fairlawn's Driving Evaluation Program. Designed for individuals who want to return to driving following a disabling event, the program consists of a clinical evaluation that tests an individual's physical and cognitive abilities (i.e., vision, direction-following skills, brake reaction time, and driving related knowledge) and a road evaluation conducted by a certified driving instructor and occupational therapist. | ||||||||