Some seniors refuse to give up their car keys, regardless of their current health or cognitive limitations. However, driving can be extremely dangerous for seniors, especially those living with dementia. Your family will need to find respectful yet effective ways to prevent your aging loved one from driving. Before you take his or her keys away, consider using some of the tips mentioned below.
Move the Car
Your loved one cannot drive a car without access to it. You can take the car away and store it at your house or the home of a close family friend. When your loved one asks where the vehicle is, you can say it’s at the repair shop. When the car is out of sight for a good reason, your loved one may be more willing to stop driving and focus on other things, giving you extra time to determine what you will do with the vehicle to prevent your loved one from getting behind the wheel again.
Even when families have the best intentions, caring for a senior loved one with dementia can be challenging. Fortunately, Ambience In-Home Care is here to help. We are a leading provider of dementia care. Richardson families can take advantage of our flexible and customizable care plans, and our caregivers always stay up to date on the latest developments in senior care.
Sell the Vehicle
Instead of taking your loved one’s car away, consider selling the vehicle. You can explain the benefits of having extra money from the sale, including more funds to cover the costs of social activities, new medications, family trips, and more. The objective is to detail how beneficial selling the car is for your loved one’s personal finances instead of dwelling on the reasons he or she needs to stop driving.
Develop a Transportation Schedule
If you and your siblings are there to transport your loved one around town, it may be easier for him or her to stop driving. Develop a schedule you all can commit to, and make sure to add emergency backup plans. When it’s time for your parent to go to the doctor or a social event, make sure someone is always there to provide transportation. You can also look into safe transportation resources, which remove the need to drive alone.
For some families, caring for a senior loved one can be overwhelming at times. Luckily, they can rely on professional at-home care. Ambience In-Home Care is a trusted name in home care. Our caregivers are available around the clock to assist seniors with bathing, transportation, medication reminders, exercise, and much more, allowing families the time they need to focus on other important responsibilities or just take a break.
Ask a Doctor to Step In
Having an intervention could be effective as long as you’re respectful and have facts to back up your request. To make the intervention go smoother, enlist the help of your loved one’s primary care physician. The doctor can explain how driving puts your parent’s health in jeopardy. If your loved one wants to alleviate symptoms associated with dementia and slow its progression, he or she needs to be open to doing things that boost health, such as giving up driving. Although you have your parent’s best interests in mind, he or she may be more open to advice when it comes from a medical advisor or non-relative.
It’s hard for our aging loved ones to give up the things that are closely tied to independence. Seniors can face a variety of challenges as they age, many of which can be mitigated with the help of professional in-home caregivers who provide high-quality senior home care. Richardson families trust Ambience In-Home Care to help their elderly loved ones age in place safely and comfortably. To create a comprehensive in-home care plan for your parent, give us a call at (469) 535-6825 today.