October 9, 2015

Ms. Lydia Schneider
,Driver Fitness and Monitoring Branch
Main Floor, Twin Atria Building, Edmonton, AB. T6B 2X3

Via Facsimile (780) 422-6612

Dear Ms. Schneider:

Reference:
Alberta Driver’s Licence Number : xxxxxxxx
Driver Fitness & Monitoring denies senior client a Class #7 – Learner’s Permit

Further to phone calls to you and the Office of Driver Fitness and Monitoring, Department of Transportation.

1) As stated to you, I have in front of me a Medical Examination for Motor Vehicle Operators Form dated April 29, 2015, which indicates the senior’s impeccable health. The Form gives no indication of cognitive impairment or signs of dementia. This document has been signed by a medical doctor.

So in the first instance why was this senior denied the renewal of Driver License?

Why the denial of a Class # 7 license?

2) I also have in front of me an

a) Alberta Health Services Comprehensive Driving Evaluation on-road assessment signed by a

b) Registered Occupational Therapist. and an

c) Alberta Motor Association Driver Instructor dated July 20, 2015, The assessment recommends that she, “complete lessons with driving school of your choice”. A list of driving schools was provided to the client.

I have reviewed the credentials of the professionals and found them to be valid.

3) The client’s documents have been entrusted to the Elder Advocates by the senior client. We also have visited her home and found her to be living in an immaculately clean, well organized home.

4) Please advise us why the Office of Driver Fitness and Monitoring, Department of Transportation are withholding the Class # 7 Learner’s permitwhich is necessary for her to commence taking driving lessons?

5) Furthermore, the client has also provided us with correspondence dated
April 28, 2015 signed by Anna Jarvis, Reviewing Officer stating that client’s file has been reviewed by the Medical Review Committee. This caused suspension of her driving license.
In light of the above noted documents, please, advise us as to why this client’s file was reviewed by the Medical Review Committee members?

Please note the conflicting dates and provide us with an explanation.

We would be grateful to be in receipt of your response by the 16th of October, 2015.

Thank you.

c.c.
Honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Brian Mason
Honourable Minister of Seniors, Sarah Hoffman
————————————————————————————————————–

November 6, 2015

Ms. Lydia Schneider
Driver Fitness and Monitoring Branch
Main Floor, Twin Atria Building, Edmonton, AB. T6B 2X3

Via Facsimile (780) 422-6612

Dear Ms. Schneider:

Reference: Alberta Driver’s Licence Number : # xxxx-xxx

Further to our correspondence of October 8, 2015 in which we cited that said Alberta Driver successfully completed a Medical Examination for Motor Vehicle Operators Form April 29, 2015, which indicated the senior’s impeccable health.

Because the Driver had not driven since hip surgery, was referred to Alberta Health Services Comprehensive Driving Evaluation on-road assessment which was conducted by a

1) Registered Occupational Therapist. and an
2) Alberta Motor Association Driver Instructor completed July 20, 2015,

The driver was recommended to ,
“complete lessons with a driving school of your choice”.

However when attempting to take lessons was informed that a Class # 7 Learner’s permit was necessary prior to commence taking driving lessons?

Nevertheless, after some considerable intervention on our part, the senior was told that they could proceed with lessons but that a Class # 7 Learner’s permit was necessary in order to commence taking driving lessons, which it would seem that Occupational Therapy or the Alberta Motor Association should have been able to provide to the senior upon completion of the Driving Evaluation.

Then, Apparently on the direction of Alberta Transportation Driver Fitness, a Home Care nurse appeared at the senior’s home to make another cognitive assessment and then informed the senior that a Gerontologist from a neighboring town, Doctor Gordon Anderson would make a report to Driver Fitness, Transportation in order for the senior to obtain a Class # 7.

It should be noted that the Gerontologist is not a gerontologist but is a new Canadian from South Africa who has already had been suspended and disciplined by his professional association but is now again in full practice.

Furthermore, we have documentation of senior drivers who were not required to first obtain a Class # 7 license when directed to brush up driving skills by taking driving lessons.

Considering all that has been done and failed to be done to this law abiding, tax paying senior, it appears that there is no consistency and no limit to the ways in which Alberta Transportation DRIVER FITNESS ABUSES OLDER ALBERTANS.

1) Please advise us why the Office of Driver Fitness and Monitoring, Department of Transportation are withholding a Class # 7 License.

2) In light of the above noted documents, please, advise us as to why this client’s file was reviewed and license suspended by the Medical Review Committee members prior to her having a Medical – Medical Examination for Motor Vehicle Operators Form dated April 29, 2015,?

Please note the conflicting dates and provide us with an explanation.

We would be grateful to be in receipt of your response by the 16th of October, 2015.

Thank you.

Elder Advocates of Alberta Society,

c.c.
Honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Brian Mason
Honourable Minister of Seniors, Sarah Hoffman

ADDENDUM

This senior’s driving license had been automatically suspended when they had hip replacement surgery. Then when this person was still recovering from anesthesia, a Home Care nurse came to the hospital and subjected the senior to a cognitive nest. Of course she did poorly, she was still under the effects of the anesthesia.The results of this inaccurate, unethical capacity assessment were accepted by Anna Jarvis, Reviewing Officer, Driver Fitness and Monitoring, Alberta Transportation and forwarded to the Medical Review Committee.
The Medical Review Committee, without questioning the veracity of the assessment, declared the client unfit to drive.
Then Anna Jarvis Reviewing Officer, Driver Fitness and Monitoring, Alberta Transportation, and Linda Gordulic, Reviewing Officer, Driver Fitness and Monitoring, Alberta Transportation, arbitrarily suspended the senior’s license.

All the doctors, the alleged “geriatric” doctor, Occupational Therapy, the Alberta Motor Association, Home Care personnel, all the testing was/is at taxpayer expense. For what?

After about a year, this person had their driving license reinstated.
No one has been held accountable for this mess, for the confusion at the offices of Transportation, Driver Fitness and Monitoring.