Targeting Seniors with DriveABLE
Home > Senior Driving Issues > Targeting Seniors with DriveABLETARGETING SENIORS
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We allege that the Simard MD & DriveABLE protocol is a massive, sophisticated, multi-million dollar scam, promoted under the guise of research, science & safety,
perpetrated against the older citizens of this province by government and private interests.
Unfortunately, some physicians have bought into this corrupt protocol.
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We have uncovered a government initiative designed to arbitrarily strip seniors of their rights and their driving licenses.
The government agency, Primary Care Network, is carrying out this pilot project as an “innovative approach to providing primary care, to deliver improved health care to Albertans”
The pilot project is carried out in cooperating medical clinics such as the Justik Clinic, the Gateway Medical Clinic of Edmonton, the Meridian Clinic & the Family Medicine Clinic of Stony Plain, the Westend Clinic of Spruce Grove and numerous other medical clinics across northern and southern Alberta.
The protocol is as follows: The unsuspecting senior, who may never have had a car accident or even a speeding ticket, arrives at the medical clinic with his / her Medical Examination For Motor Vehicle Operators Form in hand, and expects to have a physical exam by a physician.
However, instead he/she is led to a room by a primary care nurse and is administered a mental test (Simard MD). Parts of the test are stop watch timed. The registered nurse has been trained by and is under the direction of the Primary Care Network. IT is reported to us that most seniors fail the Simard MD.*
The senior may then be given a physical exam or sometimes be directly referred to DriveAble, for a computer test. The senior’s personal health information and results of the Simard MD, is forwarded to DriveAble, often without permission or even knowledge of the senior.The Seniors have reported to us, that shortly after they arrive home from the doctor’s office, they receive phone calls from DriveAble directing them to come for testing. They report the calls to be most intimidating and threatening. They are strongly informed by DriveAble personnel, that if they do not attend, they will not get their license renewed.
Most seniors, obediently go, pay the exorbitant fee of $200. or $250. because they want that license. They are led to believe that DriveAble has the legal authority to deny them their license.
Seniors who are not computer literate are destined to fail a test.
The results of all this testing is then forwarded to the Alberta Government Driver Fitness and Monitoring staff at the Alberta Government Motor Vehicles licensing branch.
We have learned of seniors who successfully passed the road test but flubbed the computer DriveAble test and were denied their driving license by Alberta Government Driver Fitness and Monitoring staff.We have also learned, that there are those who scored low on the Simard MD because English is their second language. They may speak well and may have been successful business people but have difficulty with the testing. Some seniors are just plain scared and intimidated when they are confronted by testing.
The referral Form sent to DriveAble is a contravention of the Privacy Act.
Physicians and primary care nurses, are unlawfully publishing senior’s private health information.We submit that the Alberta Government Driver Fitness and Monitoring staff are disseminating misinformation when they state that they can lawfully deny driving licenses because of Simard MD scores or DriveAble results.
We find it troubling that professional registered nurses, whose most notable role is to be a patient advocate, are cooperating in this deceptive, unfair process.
In a letter posted on our website, Mr. Fred Horne, MLA. (Edmonton-Rutherford) states that DriveAble is a private for profit company and is not affiliated with the Alberta government. So why are doctors sending / publishing private personal health information to these folks and why at $200. or $250. a shot, is this company allowed to make a fortune on the backs of seniors?
It is devastating to lose one’s license. It causes seniors to become dependant,
isolated and depressed.
Finally, in Alberta, the legal requirement to have one’s license renewed is that:
- a physician carries out a physical exam on the senior who wishes to have his license renewed
- the physician sign the Medical Examination For Motor Vehicle Operators Form which certifies that on the noted date, he examined the senior in accordance with Safety Code Medical Standards.
- If the physician does not recommended a driver’s examination, (section B) then the applicant senior has met the full requirement to have his Alberta Driving License renewed.
The primary Care Network is a frightening concept. It appears to be another initiative of government to take control of its’ citizens. Previously a citizen’s health care information was confidential and a private matter between you and your doctor. Now primary care network personnel have access to all your medical files and information. In essence, the government has access to all your personal information. Indeed, an Orwellian concept.
SAY NO TO ASSESSMENTS!
SAY NO TO DRIVEABLE!
Tags: DriveAble, Fred Horne, Simard