Dr. Christian Fuchs refuses to overrule DriveAble
Home > Senior Driving Issues > Dr. Christian Fuchs refuses to overrule DriveAbleELDER ABUSE
July 28, 2012
Dr Christian.Fuchs,
5423 48 St, Stony Plain, AB T7Z 1E3
Dear Sir:
Reference: Our meeting with you yesterday afternoon at your office at Stony Plain, AB.
Thank you for meeting with us.
Further to our meeting, you stated that one in six seniors suffers from dementia. We believe that you inferred that this statistic applied to the age group of those seventy – five years of age and over who apply for driving license renewal.
Please advise us where you obtained such data?
Furthermore, you told us that even though you knew that Mr. D. was fully cognizant and fit to drive, you said that you would not inform the government Driver Fitness and monitoring, because you could not over-ride DriveAble. Why not?
According to 2010 correspondence from the Honourable Mr. Fred Horne, “DriveAble is a private company that is not associated with the government of Alberta.”
You asked Mr. D. why he submitted to the test at DriveAble. Mr, D. had earlier informed us and provided documentation that he went to DriveAble, because:
- he was ordered by a physician and
- he received two written directives, mailed to his home by government Driver
Fitness and Monitoring staff, stating he “must attend”.
- a phone call by Driver Fitness and Monitoring staff to his wife ordering him to attend.
Throughout this matter, Mr. D. has been totally deceived.
You failed to inform him that in fact the Simard MD and DriveABLE referral is part of a pilot project to which he had the right to opt out if he so chose.
Also, you said that you were aware that a number of seniors that you sent to DriveAble would fail.
Why would you, as a professional physician, send seniors to a private for profit agency to be charged a $250.00 fee with the full knowledge that they will fail?
When we suggested to you that it was unlawful to send seniors to DriveAble and that this protocol should be stopped, you replied that it was already too deeply entrenched.
What does that mean entrenched?
Entrenched by whom?
We would be grateful if you would answer our queries. Please allow us to be in receipt of your response by the 7th, of August, 2012.
Thank you.
Yours truly
Elder Advocates of Alberta Society
cc.The Honourable Mr. Ric. McIver, Minister of Transportation
Mr. Ken Lemke, MLA
Mr. D.
To date no response from Dr. Fuchs though same letter was delivered twice.
Tags: DriveAble, Ken Lemke, Ric McIver, Simard, Stony Plain