Just because your loved one has gotten older, it doesn’t always mean he has to stop driving. Many seniors drive well into their 80s and beyond, so if your loved one isn’t having any significant struggles with driving safely, there’s no reason to insist he turn in his keys and stop driving altogether. But it’s okay to supplement your loved one’s drive time with some transportation services.
Four Reasons Many Seniors Start to Limit Their Driving
While your loved one may not need to stop driving completely, he may have discovered there are times when he’s not comfortable driving, or there are instances when he’s not comfortable driving, and that’s okay. Each person needs to understand their limitations and work within those limitations.
Common reasons many seniors either reduce how much they drive or stop altogether include:
Vision issues. They might struggle to see at night or in bad weather more than they did when they were younger. Another bad time of day can be when the sun is rising or setting, especially if your senior is driving toward the sunrise or sunset.
Discomfort. From a bad back to arthritic knees, for some seniors, it just gets uncomfortable to drive for long periods.
Medication side effects. Your senior needs to know if any of his medications could increase his risk of driving while impaired. Some medications can cause sleepiness and others can slow reaction times, both of which are very dangerous to experience while driving.
Cognitive concerns. Your senior might find himself getting lost more often or struggling to maneuver through extreme road construction. If his driving is making him uncomfortable, he should step away from being behind the wheel.
Keeping Your Elderly Loved One Safe on the Road
For those times when your loved one desires to drive, there are steps that he can take before hitting the road to make sure he’s set up for a successful trip.
Make sure the car is in top shape. Good tires, strong brakes, and even a clean windshield can all help keep your loved one safe when he’s driving.
Make sure he’s in good shape, too. Eyeglass prescriptions should be up-to-date, hearing aids should be turned on, and being well rested is important for him to be fully alert and ready for whatever the road throws his way.
Help him make adjustments so he “fits” his car better. If your loved one has gotten shorter as he’s aged, help him make sure he’s sitting up tall enough to see at least 10 feet in front of his car. If the visor for blocking the sun doesn’t descend enough to protect his eyes, purchase an extender so he can prevent the blinding sun from impeding his vision.
Remove distractions. Insist that your loved one put his phone out of reach. Set up his favorite radio station or streaming channel before he starts the vehicle, and then make sure he doesn’t change it while driving. If he needs to use an online map service, have everything pulled up and ready to go before he ever turns on the car.
Use transportation services when he can’t drive. By letting someone else provide transportation services when he’s not comfortable driving, your loved one is not only protecting himself but everyone else on the road as well.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Transportation Services in Brentwood, TN, please get in touch with the caring staff at Senior Solutions Home Care. (615) 307-4509
Senior Solutions Home Care is a Trusted Home Care Agency serving Nashville, Brentwood, Nolensville, Gallatin, Hendersonville, Smyrna, Murfreesboro, Mount Juliet, Lebanon, Goodlettsville, Davidson County, and surrounding areas.
Over the years, we have expanded, providing service in all 95 counties throughout Tennessee, and we now have a growing presence in Georgia.
Senior Solutions is recognized as a top 5% independent agency and a three-time Inc. 5000 honoree in 2018, 2019, and 2020. These types of awards matter to us because they show growth in our goal of eventually touching a million lives. We’re excited to continue that growth and to touch even more families with our commitment to quality care!
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