Beech Lodge private Nursing Home, Ireland
Elderly Drivers: Stop or Go? by Phyllis Staff
Without so much as a tap on the brakes, my aunt whizzed
through another stop sign.
"What are you doing?" I shrieked. "That
was a stop sign."
"Oh," she replied rather offhandedly, "they
just put those there so you'll look before you go into
an intersection."
That was the day I stopped riding with my aunt but
not the day she stopped driving. From then on, I had
visions of an enormous pink Chevy leading a parade of
cascading accidents. And I wasn't far from wrong.
She drove with what she knew to be the utmost caution.
. . .never exceeding 30 miles per hour, even on I35!
She expected, even demanded that traffic would give
way to her like the seas parted for Moses. Sometimes,
it did. But mostly, driving with her was a harrowing
experience with no end in sight.
So, when do the elderly become a menace on the roads?
And, what can you do when they refuse to give up the
keys? Here are a few suggestions I've found.
Causes for Concern
Poor Vision - Cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration
can reduce visual acuity and limit visual fields, so
a yearly eye exam is imperative for the elderly driver.
Ask the doctor about driving, and don't take the word
of the elderly driver on the results of her exam.
Poor Hearing - Something as simple as a clogged ear
passage can create a hearing loss. A doctor can identify
the problem and offer solutions, so have elderly hearing
checked yearly.
Poor Flexibility and Limited Range of Motion - Good
drivers rely on looking out rear and side windows as
well as checking rearview mirrors. When a driver lacks
the ability to turn his head and shoulders to look outside,
he may not see oncoming vehicles or obstacles traveling
in the car's blindspot.
Reduced Reaction Time - As we age, we slow down, and
reaction times diminish. Keeping extra space between
the driver's and other cars can help reduce the likelihood
of accidents, but there comes a time when reactions
are too slow for road safety. Click here for a reaction
time test that will show you graphically how far you
travel after you see a red light!
How to Get (and Keep) the Keys
A few states, , require road tests for persons over
65 when their licenses are renewed. An additional sss
states require vision tests with license renewals. Consider
yourself fortunate if you live in one of these states
because it may be that the state will refuse to renew
the elder's license. If you live elsewhere, here are
a few tricks to try.
Talk with your Elder about the Convenience of Mass
Transit - Many mass transit authorities have special
services and special fares for the elderly and disabled.
Check with your local transit authority. And talk with
your elder about how nice it is to be able to enjoy
the scenery while someone else does the driving.
Give Your Elder a Refresher Course - Not only will
a refresher course improve road awareness, it may help
your elder earn a discount on his car insurance. Courses
and informative pamphlets are available from the AARP,
AAA, and the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. You'll
find links to these sites at the end of this article.
Report unsafe driving to your local Department of Public
Safety. They may have additional help to offer you.
"Break" the Car - My teenagers unplugged
a few vital wires when my father, who suffers from Alzheimer's
disease, refused to relinquish the keys. We knew his
cognitive ability was far too impaired for him to recognize
the problem, and he was always comforted when we said
we'd have the car repaired "soon."
Remove the Keys - Distract your elder from finding
"lost" keys by offering an immediate alternative
way to go somewhere. While this may be the most unpleasant
way to stop your elder from driving, remember that you
are not only protecting him but all the rest of us as
well.
And what happened to my aunt? She got a ticket from
a wonderful traffic officer whom we all blessed on a
daily basis! Fearing the loss of her auto insurance,
she voluntarily gave up driving.
Web Resources
Driving Safely While Aging Gracefully is a free booklet
you can read online.
AARP offers a refresher course for elderly drivers
as well as a number of other helpful resources. See
their site at http://www.aarp.org/55alive/.
AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has a terrific new
site, seniordrivers.org, that you shouldn't miss if
you're a senior driver or have a senior driver in your
family. Exercises, examples of perceptual loss due to
aging, emergency tips, and much, much more - all free.
Please don't miss it!
For more in depth information on elderly drivers, see
the OLR research report
About the Author
Phyllis Staff, Ph.D. - Phyllis Staff is an experimental
psychologist and the CEO of The Best Is Yet.Net, an
internet company that helps seniors and caregivers find
trustworthy residential care. She is the author of How
to Find Great Senior Housing: A Roadmap for Elders and
Those Who Love Them. She is also the daughter of a victim
of Alzheimer's disease. Visit the author's web site
at http://www.thebestisyet.net.
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