 |
 |
|
When should seniors consider giving up driving? |
| Tracey Cousineau - Outreach Manager |
| 6/23/2008 |
Seniors want to continue driving as long as they can do so safely.
Everyone ages
differently, so some people are perfectly capable of continuing to drive
in their seventies, eighties, and even beyond.
However,
for many the time may come when they must limit or stop driving, either
temporarily or permanently. While
stopping driving may be the only answer in some cases, doing so too
early can cause a person's overall health to decline prematurely.
So,
how do you know if you or a loved one should stop driving?
- Do other drivers often honk at you?
- Have you had some accidents, even "fender
benders"?
- Do you get lost, even on roads you know?
- Do cars or people walking seem to appear out
of nowhere?
- Have family, friends, or your doctor said they
are worried about your driving?
Most
drivers monitor themselves and gradually limit or stop driving when they
feel that a certain driving situation or driving in general is not safe.
However, some people fail to
recognize declining abilities, or they fear giving up driving because it
will make them permanently dependent on others for the necessities of
life, and it may reduce their social and leisure activities.
In
addition, conditions such as dementia or early stages of Alzheimer’s'
disease may make some drivers unable to evaluate their driving properly.
There are specific
resources avalable on Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and driving
at http://www.thehartford.com/alzheimers/. Here are some tips to assist
someone who may be an unsafe driver limit or cease driving.
First, you should assess the situation. It will help to ride with the person and observe driving habits first hand. Do any of the five warning signs listed above apply?
Next you should begin talking about driving with the driver. Start the conversation out of a sincere sense of caring for the person's well-being and base it on things you have observed. You can then suggest different options, depending on the degree of impairment, such as classroom refresher course, interactive web sites, or limit driving to certain times of day or familiar areas. I have outlined several of these options in my previous senior moment’s article.
If you feel that it is time to talk to a senior
about stopping driving, approach the issue with sensitivity.
A driver’s license signifies
more than the ability to drive a car; it is a symbol of freedom and
independence. Encourage the
driver to consider and gradually begin using other methods of
transportation such as the Lynx transportation program
and relatives or friends. Explore
ways to reduce driving, such as making purchases online or through
mail-order catalogs and meals for me. Emphasize
the money that will be saved on insurance, gasoline, maintenance and
repairs, license and registration fees.
Some seniors may adjust better if they can
keep their
own car, but have others drive them.
Help
develop or restore hobbies to do while riding, such as
reading or knitting.
If the senior driver refuses to stop driving you may need to file down the car keys, disable the car, and enlist the help of a local police officer or physician to explain the legal implications of unsafe driving. Statistics show that a person 65 or older who is involved in a car accident is more likely to be seriously hurt, more likely to require hospitalization, and more likely to die than younger people involved in the same crash. Lastly the state accepts reports of potentially unsafe drivers from police officers, the courts, physicians, family members, friends, other citizens, and hospitals. Some seniors may forget they aren’t supposed to drive. If that is the case, it is very important to remove the car or the keys to make it impossible to drive.
If you have a topic that you would like me to write
about in an upcoming senior moments article, please call me at 794-6700,
write to me at Health Access Network,