When Is It Time To Hang Up The Keys?

One of the most sensitive issues we see at Interim Healthcare involving our senior citizens is driving.

While it is primarily a safety issue, most seniors think of it as one about independence. As we age, our vision, hearing and reflexes decline. Sometimes memory, range of motion and temperament are affected as well. While this may be a result of the natural aging process or due to health problems, the hazards must be considered. At some point, it may no longer be safe to operate a vehicle. Safety for passengers and other drivers is important.

For our in home elder care clients, it might be time to consider handing over the keys if you or a loved one has had more than one of the following happen recently:

Getting Lost
Forgetting where you are going is a warning sign. No longer knowing how to get somewhere you have been many times is another.

Close Calls
Take a look at the car. Are there dings, dents and scrapes? Cutting it close while parking is one sign that the driver is not capable of safely operating the vehicle. Coming too close to your mailbox may be a symptom of judgment impairment or lacking peripheral vision. The bigger problem may not be hitting the mailbox, but whether the car is crossing the yellow line while going down the road.

Tickets
If you or the driver in question has received a ticket or been in an accident recently, this is most likely a warning sign. Whose fault was it? Did you run a light because it could not be seen? Was the speed limit seen and followed? Did you not stop in time because it takes longer to move your foot from the gas pedal to the brakes?

If any of the safety symptoms ring a bell, consider asking your doctor what his or her recommendations are. Some states require a driving test for anyone over a certain age. Rather than having to make a decision, it may be made for you by a third party.

Solutions
One way to prevent further problems without turning over the driver’s license is to take a driver’s safety course. The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) sponsors one that may help you brush up on the finer points of driving.

If it is time to hang up the keys, Interim can help with the day-to-day difficulties that may result from not driving. For example, our home-style non-medical home care services provide transportation to and from doctor’s appointments. This is a significant consideration for those who need regular medical attention outside the home.

For those with friends or relatives close-by, one option may be to keep the vehicle and allow other people to drive it. Update the drivers on your insurance policy and lay some ground rules.

While it may seem a little strange being in the passenger’s seat, it will be a more familiar environment and decrease the sense of change and the feelings of instability that often come with it.

This will be a win-win situation for both the driver and those who care. After all, it’s about keeping everyone safe.