A Senior Caregiver Can Assist When It Is Time To Take The Car Keys Away

Your mom or dad has been driving your whole life. In your opinion they have never been the safest of drivers, maybe some would say a bit erratic. However, with age it seems to have gotten worse. Statistically, senior drivers do have more accidents mile-per-mile other than teenagers. How do you tell your parent to turn over their car keys to you? Also, if you do, who is going to drive them to their appointments, the grocery store, to visit friends, to just get out and explore? Are you ready to be a senior caregiver for your parent?

The first thing you may want to identify is why their driving has become erratic. Buckle up and take a ride with them. Are they able to hear the other cars, horns, sirens or screech of brakes? If they cannot hear those sounds, have they had their hearing checked recently? Maybe hearing aids or an adjustment to their hearing aids will correct this problem and driving will not be any more an issue than it was previously. Your parent may still benefit from a senior caregiver, however driving may nurture their sense of independence.

Secondly, when taking that drive with your parent, did you notice if they were moving their head and neck comfortably to look around to maneuver through traffic and make right and left turns? If the answer is no, a senior caregiver, whether yourself or someone else, may be the best mode of transportation for your mom or dad. Flexibility is needed for driving as well as quick reflexes. If chronic illness or another form of aging issue has caused your parent to stiffen up it is time form them to hand over their keys and leave the driving to someone else. A home caregiver can help.