Senior citizens often struggle with driving, and coming to a decision on whether or not your elderly loved one is still fit to drive can be an emotionally difficult endeavor. For one, there are legal difficulties that need to be considered. The first of these is if your family member is involved in an accident and hurts someone or themselves. This, while traumatic in itself, can cause a whole mess of legal issues. The best way to avoid this nightmare is to make sure that it never happens. But being proactive is not an easy thing.
The process involves making sure that you have a good handle on what your loved one is capable of behind the wheel. If there are any questions about their driving ability, go for a drive with them and monitor them. There are many things that can impact how someone drives. These can be both physical and mental conditions. For example, vision can decrease over time, reaction speeds may decline to a point where driving becomes difficult, or hand-eye coordination could get worse and keeping the car on the road could be tougher. Mental issues could involve short term memory loss, confusion, or dementia. Medications may have side effects that could impact both of these things. Drivers could become panicked and an accident could ensue as a result. All of these outcomes could become potentially fatal.
So, if you decide that your loved one is a danger to themselves or to others, you need to do something. Being loving and kind is a must as this can be a very delicate conversation. Give them time to talk and say their part, but if driving truly is a danger to them, then you need to act firmly even though it can be tough.
One result might be that they are relieved that you are noticing the same things that they are. Another result could be that they see your intent and that you are truly are concerned for them. They might not like what you say to them, but they may appreciate you saying it. One other result is that they become angry and take it as a personal attack. But, if you are able to save their life or someone else’s as a result of this.
As our parents age, it is inevitable that mental and physical health declines. Taking care of them can mean much more than taking their car keys away from them. They may need in-home care to ensure that they are safe within their homes and that they are being taken care of. More intensive care might be needed, too. Checking in with a doctor for regular checkups is a key part not only of figuring these things out, but of detecting changes in health. And the sooner that these changes are found, the more efficiently they can be taken care of, and hopefully corrected. This might not happen, but having the potential for keeping your loved one healthier for longer is a great goal to have, even when what needs to be done is extremely tough.
Leave a Reply