When it’s time for boomers to take the wheel!
At Kansas City Home Care, one of the most common concerns we hear our clients and their families: “Dad’s driving skills are getting worse. I’m afraid he’s going to hurt himself or someone else. I don’t think he should be driving anymore, but he simply won’t listen to me. Please help!”
This is a very real and consistent issue that our clients and their families are dealing with all the time, and we try to help mediate as much as possible.
So, in these difficult situations, what’s the rule of thumb? We try to help seniors to remain independent and continue driving as long as they can do so safely. However, for many Baby Boomers, the time comes when we must intervene with our parents’ driving.
The following warning signs may suggest that it’s time for your loved one to limit (or stop) driving:
- feeling less comfortable and more nervous or fearful while driving
- difficulty staying in the lane of travel
- more frequent “close calls,” or more frequent dents and scrapes on the car, fences and mailboxes
- trouble judging gaps in traffic at intersections
- other drivers honking at them more often
- more instances when they are angry at other drivers
- friends or relatives not wanting to drive with them
- getting lost more often
- difficulty seeing the sides of the road when looking straight
- violating signals, road signs and pavement markings
- slower response to unexpected situations
- confusing brake and gas pedals
- difficulty concentrating while driving
- difficulty checking over shoulder while backing up or changing lanes
- medical conditions or medications that may be affecting their safety while driving
- more traffic tickets or “warnings” by law enforcement recently
Often, people fail to recognize declining abilities, or they fear stopping driving will make them permanently dependent on others or reduce their social and leisure activities. Conditions such as dementia or early Alzheimer’s disease may make some drivers unable to evaluate their driving properly. If you think that you need to intervene with your loved one’s driving, begin having conversations with the driver. As people age, they tend to look first to family members for candid advice concerning their well-being and health issues. Suggest various options, depending on the degree of impairment. One size does not fit all, and while stopping driving may be the only answer in some cases, stopping driving too early can cause a person’s overall health to decline prematurely. Options may include:
- taking a refresher course (such as the AARP Driver Safety Program)
- limiting driving to certain times of day or familiar areas
- encouraging the driver to gradually begin using other methods of transportation such as rides from family and friends, caregivers or public transportation. Some areas offer transportation for their elderly population. Contact your area center on aging or community center to find out what is available for your loved one.
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