If your elderly family member isn’t safe behind the wheel, that can have some big effects on her and on everyone around her.
First, Don’t Feel Bad about Whatever You Decide to Do
The first thing you need to realize is that you’re not doing any of this to hurt your senior’s feelings or to be mean to her. It’s normal to feel a little bad or guilty about being the “bad guy,” but it’s vital that you remember that you’re doing this for a reason. Don’t let that override what you’re trying to do in keeping her safe.
Get Her Doctor’s Opinion
It’s a good idea to talk to your senior’s doctor about what you’re seeing and ask some questions about how her health might be impacting her driving. Her doctor can give you some very specific information about where your senior’s cognitive and physical health stands and how that could mean that her driving days are numbered. Some aging adults respond better to an official recommendation from their doctor about driving.
Find Out What the DMV Has to Say
If conversations with you and with her doctor aren’t keeping your senior from driving, there might be another option in your corner. Contact your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles and find out what they have to say about older drivers. Some states require older drivers to take an eye test every year. Others require older drivers to retake the written and driving tests at a certain age. Not complying with these requirements could cause your senior to lose her driver’s license.
Relocate the Car
Sometimes you’ve done all the right things, but that isn’t keeping your senior from driving her car. In that case, you might need to find a way to relocate the car. A relative might borrow it, for example, or you might say that the car has gone into the shop for repairs. This could feel like you’re lying to your elderly family member, but it’s more in the neighborhood of a therapeutic lie.
As a Last Resort, Sell the Car
Disabling and relocating the car are possible solutions, but those might not be enough for some older drivers. You might get to a point where your only option is to sell the car. This might be the only way that you can keep your elderly family member from continuing to drive.
No matter how you’re able to successfully convince your senior to stop driving, leaving her without transportation isn’t the answer. Elder care providers can do the driving for her and get her where she needs and wants to be.
If you or an aging loved one is considering elder care in Big Timber, MT, please contact the caring staff at SYNERGY HomeCare Billings today at 406-839-2390.
