January 28, 2015

Dr. Patricia Smith,MD, BSc, LMCC,CCF

President

Alberta College of Family Physicians

Edmonton, AB.

Dear Dr. Smith:

In 2003 legislation was passed to require Albertans at age 75 and thereafter to provide evidence of a medical examination in order to renew their driving license.

This was an act of blatant discrimination against seniors, in that it is known and documented, that seniors are the safest drivers on the road. According to Alberta Transportation statistics, seniors are the safest drivers on Alberta roads, it is documented that they have the lowest casualty rates.

It is also reality, that they do not cause the carnage on Alberta roads. This is true across Canada and the United states.

The fact that seniors are safe drivers, has now been reinforced by the United States Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. They stated that they were wrong in thinking that an older population would lead to more accidents, just the reverse has happened. This was published on February 14, 2014 by Joan Lowy of the Associated Press.

From 1997 to 2012 fatal crash rates per licensed driver fell 42% for older

drivers and 30% for middle-age ones, the study found. Looking at vehicle miles travelled, fatal rates fell 39% for older drivers and 26% for middle-age ones from 1995 to 2008.

The greatest rate of decline was among drivers age 80 and over, nearly

twice that of middle age drivers and drivers 70 to 74.

Alan Pisarski, author of the authoritative “Commuting in America”  series reports on driving trends. He has said,  “The main point is that these 70-80 year olds are really different than their predecessors.

They learned to drive in a very different era.  They are far more comfortable driving in freeway situations‘

This matters immensely for the future because we are seeing dramatic increases in older workers staying in the labor force and continuing to work and commute well past 65″.

There are over 60,000 older Albertans who are fully employed in the Alberta workforce.

Despite, seniors being the safest of drivers, the Primary Care Network, with the support of Alberta Transportation, Driver Fitness, the Simard MD and DriveABLE pilot project was introduced. Bonnie Dobbs PhD (D. Schopflocher) had developed the Simard MD (taken from the German Dem Tech test) and her husband, Allan Dobbs PhD, had developed the DriveABLE test.

In practice, those who score low on the Simard MD cognitive test, are referred to the DriveABLE computer based test. According to 2011 data, only 15 % pass* this test that costs the senior $250.(+GST) (Ontario $700.+ GST).

* “BC’s computerized tests unfair to seniors.” Originally published in Victoria Times colonist. – CARP Canada.

The DriveABLE test, is sponsored by the private for profit, multi-million (billion?) dollar, DRIVEABLE ASSESSMENT CORPORATION INC of which Allan Dobbs is Chairman of the Board and 15.7 % shareholder.

Every time a senior is processed through a DriveABLE test, it is registered at the Edmonton central office & DriveABLE Assessment Corp. Inc. gets paid. In 2005, then CEO Henry Yip published that the Corp. is paid $60. for every assessment, in Canada, US, Australia, NewZealand.

DriveABLE also sells software as franchises to hospitals, driving schools, etc.

DriveABLE Assessment Corp. Inc. is a product of Alberta Deal Generator, the largest investor network in Canada which represents over $400 million in available capital. A 1 million dollar investment into Edmonton-based DriveABLE Assessment Centres made by Foundation Equity Corporation in 2005, an Angel Capital group based in St. Albert, AB. is touted in 2013 by Alberta Deal Generator, one of four top lucrative investments. They are represented on the Bloomberg File.

Over 8,000 Albertans have lost their right to drive as a result of the sustained elder abuse of the Simard MD & DriveABlE pilot project.

The Simard MD, the cornerstone of the pilot project, was based on the false premise that:

“Anyone who is cognitively intact can easily pass the Simard MD”. (Bonnie Dobbs PhD, U. of A. MARD Center)

The pilot project has now been exposed as both irrelevant and fraudulent.

The pilot project has caused over 8,000 Albertans to be stripped of their right to drive and has caused many to become prisoners in their homes.

However now, we have learned that the same Bonnie Dobbs et al have initiated a new project to target senior drivers, a Mobility Guide for Edmonton and area seniors, titled:

“Toolkit for the Early Identification of Mental Health Disorders in Seniors”

of which the irrational profile by Bonnie Dobbs is:

“In Canada, one in four seniors lives with a mental health disorder.

That number is expected to increase over the next several decades 

According to the Agenda of the Banff Alberta’s Premier Conference for Family Physicians February 26 – 28, 2015, Bonnie Dobbs will be promoting this mobility guide toolkit to Alberta physicians. She is not an MD.

Unjustly stripping a senior of the right to drive is a virulent form of elder abuse. As seniors, we are urging you, imploring you, the College of FamilyPhysicians, not to proceed with the acceptance and promotion of the

“Toolkit for the Early Identification of Mental Health Disorders in Seniors”.

As seniors, we are imploring you, not to proceed with the further targeting of seniors. Older Albertans have suffered enough.

Please read the attached letter dated January 5^th, 2015, that was addressed to and hand delivered to Mrs. Dobbs at the University of Alberta.

Thank you.

Please allow us to be in receipt of your response by the 12^th of February 2015.

Yours truly,

Elder Advocates of Alberta Society,

Attached: Letter to Bonnie Dobbs dated January 5, 2015

Tags: Bonnie Dobbs, Department of Driver Fitness, Patricia Smith