A means of transportation is an essential ingredient in maintaining a person’s
independence. It is especially important for people as they grow older.
Transportation allows them to run errands, go to doctor’s appointments, and
socialize with family and friends. However, there will come a time when your
loved one’s driving skills will decline due to age, disability, or both. Once
this occurs, it is important to assess whether or not it is still safe for your
loved one to drive. Some warning signs of a possible decline in driving skills
include:
- A series of close calls, collisions, or driving
violations, even if they are minor.
- Braking harder than normal for stops lights and
stop signs, running over curbs or through stop signs.
- Difficulty seeing things on the road.
- Difficulty maintaining the car in the center of the
lane.
- Trouble turning his or her head before changing
lanes.
- Trouble adjusting to the oncoming glare of
headlights.
- Increased frustration, anger, or anxiety when
driving.
- Becoming confused in simple driving situations or
lost in familiar areas.
- Failure to use turn signals or mirrors.
- Hitting the brakes instead of the accelerator or
vice versa.
- Increased confrontation with other drivers.
If you notice some of the above declines in driving skills in your loved one,
this does not mean the car must be taken from him or her immediately. The first
step a caregiver must take with his or her loved one is to talk about the signs
of possible decline that concern you. During this talk the caregiver can make
suggestions such as encouraging his or her loved one to avoid driving at night,
during rush hour, or when weather makes the roads slick. Another approach can be
recommending a medical and/or eye exam to see if any of the above signs can be
corrected.
If the caregiver determines that his or her loved one should no longer be
driving, alternate means of transportation should be sought. Often times this
means the caregiver must be the one who provides transportation. However, it is
not always possible nor is it practical to provide transportation when needed.
Fortunately, there are options.
To find information on transportation for the elderly that is available in
your area, one of the best places to start is your local area Agency on Aging. There are over 650
area Agencies
on Aging throughout the United States. These agencies are part of the
Administration on Aging (visit the web site: www.aoa.gov), an agency of the United States
Department of Health and Human Services.