"Passengering my way around": An exploratory study of the lived experiences of driving cessation consequent to acquired brain injury in an Irish population under the age of sixty years - perspectives of ex-drivers and their spouses.

Driving is an enabler of occupation, facilitating us to independently access our communities and to engage in meaningful occupations outside of the home. Such occupations can have many functions including productivity, social participation, recreation and care of others. This exploratory study examines the narratives of people under the age of sixty who were obliged to relinquish their role as a driver as a result of an acquired brain injury, through exploring how it affects them and their family members. Participants were recruited through Brí, an Irish organisation providing support, information and advocacy for people with brain injuries. Employing a phenomenological methodology, eight people were interviewed using semi-structured questions; five ex-drivers and three spouses. Four themes emerged: occupational identity; emotional effect; community mobility; and separating the driving from the brain injury. This study examines the experiences of a population who were working pre-morbidly. The experiences of this demographic group within the population of acquired brain injury survivors have not yet been acknowledged in Irish literature, a gap which this research seeks to address. It is anticipated that this small scale study will help inform current practice by raising awareness among occupational therapists about the mobility needs of people following driving cessation.