Many parents remember when their teenagers started driving and the waves of emotion that came with the milestone. Those same protective feelings tend to rise as seniors continue to drive. With everything else happening in their lives, it’s a tough call when children have to tell their parents they can no longer drive. With the support of home care professionals, decisions like driving and more can be discussed in a caring and supportive team atmosphere.
Continue reading to learn five signs your senior should stop driving and how a home care team can assist.
When Is It Time to Stop Driving?
Discussing the ability to continue driving or not is difficult. Not only does it feel like they’re losing freedom and independence, but many seniors feel as if family members are commenting on their age or attempting to take away the last bit of control they may have. The fact is that driving has little to do with age – but it has everything to do with reaction times and physical functioning. When seniors no longer have the ability to drive safely, loved ones have no choice but to take the keys.
Delayed Responses
The best way to assess whether seniors should stop driving is to be in the vehicle with them. Noticing delayed responses to unexpected situations is a telltale sign that they might struggle. This may happen when they take too long at a stop sign or feel uncomfortable pulling onto a main road.
Delayed responses may also be seen outside the car. Pay attention to their everyday capabilities to assess their reaction times. With the assistance of a home care professional, situations that are cause for concern can be recognized and monitored regularly.
Decreased Confidence When Driving
This can happen to the best of people and in different driving scenarios. Consider a driver who typically drives in smaller towns attempting to navigate a larger city. For seniors, changes in confidence occur on roads they’ve driven for most of their lives. Noticing a decrease in confidence requires a discussion, which can lead to the delayed responses listed above. Perhaps they no longer feel comfortable in the vehicle they drive, or their sight is affecting how they operate their vehicle. Discuss all possible scenarios with seniors to ensure a well-rounded picture.
Damage to Their Vehicle or Property
An obvious sign that it might be time for seniors to stop driving is if they’re involved in a vehicular accident. Damage might also be done by turning too sharply on right turns, not considering parking blocks, or sideswiping vehicles in a parking lot. All of these situations can be dangerous and should be discussed with seniors if they occur.
Not Keeping Up With Traffic
The inability to keep up with traffic, whether driving too fast or slow, is another indication that seniors should stop driving. This is a situation that is unsafe for all drivers on the road. This scenario may also go hand in hand with damage while driving.
Becoming Easily Distracted or Losing Their Way
Another thing to be mindful of is their ability to navigate to their destination. If seniors become increasingly distracted while driving or get lost, having a discussion is essential. There may be more going on that needs to be uncovered.
A home care professional can offer assistance when seniors can no longer drive. A warm and caring assistant can complete shopping trips, drive seniors to appointments, and more. When seniors lose the ability to drive, they often worry they will be stuck at home. With home care, this is not the case.
Source:
https://dailycaring.com/7-warning-signs-how-to-know-when-your-parents-should-stop-driving/
If you or an aging loved one is considering home care in Highlands Ranch, CO, please contact the caring staff at SYNERGY Home Care of Parker. 303-953-9924
