For many seniors driving is what gives them a sense of independence and self-reliance. Being able to go out whenever they want to shop, or go to lunch, or visit a friend, or just get out of the house gives them a sense of freedom. It can be very difficult for seniors to accept that at some point they will need to stop driving. If you notice any of these signs it’s probably time to talk with your senior parent about giving up driving:
Dents And Dings On The Car
Alzheimer’s Care Glen Cove, NY: Alzheimer’s and Driving
If you notice a lot of new scrapes, dents, or dings on your senior parent’s car that’s a big sign that they may not be driving safely. When your senior parent is doing damage like that to the car it indicates that they are heading for a much more serious accident. Everyone gets a scrape or a ding in a parking lot now and then but if there is a lot of damage and it’s all recent that is a cause for concern.
Slow Reaction Time
When you’re driving with your senior parent are you noticing that they seem to have trouble stopping at stop signs or at red lights? Are they not slowing down when they are behind another car until the very last second? Slow reaction times could be a real problem for a senior that is driving a car. Not being able to react quickly in the event of an accident could cause serious injuries or death.
Bad Parking
Is your senior loved one parking their car at a funny angle, not parking between the lines of a parking spot, or parking the car in an odd way in the garage? They may be having trouble with spatial relations, which is something that will get worse as their Alzheimer’s progresses. Not being able to correctly judge distance could cause your senior parent to have a serious accident when they are driving because they may not be able to keep the car in the right lane. They also may get much too close to other cars or be unable to safely change lanes.
For seniors with Alzheimer’s the time when they need to stop driving can sneak up on them. If their Alzheimer’s is progressing slowly they may not even notice that they are displaying some of the signs indicating that they can’t safely drive any longer. Having a conversation with your senior parent to tell them it’s time for them to stop driving can be very challenging.
One way to make it easier is to talk with them about Alzheimer’s care. Alzheimer’s care at home will make it possible for them to stay at home while still getting the kind of specialized care they need. And a care giver can take them to run errands, shop, or get out of the house so that they won’t need to give up their independence just because they are giving up driving.