At a certain point, you may be ready for your senior to stop driving. That doesn’t mean that she agrees, however. What do you do then?
Consider a Professional Driving Evaluation
Professional driving evaluations are a great way to stop doing any sort of arguing with your senior about her driving. The driving evaluator is objective and looks at what’s actually happening. You may also get some recommendations about how to move forward if your senior is showing signs that she should not be driving any longer.
Get Her Doctor Involved
Some seniors only listen to their doctors about some specific health issues. Driving might just be one of those issues. Talk to your senior’s doctor about your concerns and find out if there are any particular aspects of your senior’s health that might be exacerbating what you’re seeing. It’s possible that medications could be adjusted or that other changes might help your senior to be the driver she believes that she is. It’s also possible that her doctor agrees with you and convinces your senior to listen.
Do a Full Set of Tests
One of the ways your senior’s doctor might help determine what’s going on is to run a series of tests. These tests can be really comprehensive, from asking questions that test your senior’s cognitive ability to checking out her vision and hearing. Reflexes are an important test as is range of motion. If your elderly family member has any existing health issues, her doctor may want to verify where she is right now with that before signing off on her continuing to drive.
Know When to Hold and When to Fold
There are going to be times in this conversation when you’re going to need to be compassionate and times when you’re going to have to stand your ground firmly. It’s difficult to do and your senior may use your feelings against you if she really wants to keep driving. So, it’s important to know when to compromise and when to offer other answers. Ask her if she’s willing to try out having a caregiver doing the driving for her. That’s something that she might agree to, and it could get you what you want.
Above all, it’s important to convey to your senior that you care about her and her safety. That’s why this is such a big issue, after all, and she needs to know that’s what’s behind it all.
If you or an aging loved-one is considering a Caregiver in Hauppauge, NY please contact the caring staff at Karing Hearts Agency Corp. today. (631)366-KARE(5273)