National Survey Reveals Adult Children Would Rather Talk To Their Parents About Sex Than About Taking Away Their Car Keys

• More than one third (35%) say no one should have the conversation with their parents about taking away their car keys – it’s too uncomfortable to address with them.

• More than half (55%) say their sibling/s should have the conversation with parent/s.

Mom vs. Dad

• Nearly 3 out of 4 (74%) say Dad is more likely than Mom to get angry, refuse to give up his car keys (75%), stop speaking to you (62%), deny there is a problem (78%), and take away some of the inheritance (70%).
• Mom is more likely than Dad to cry (89%), say she’s relieved she doesn’t have to drive any more (75%) and agree with you and hand over her car keys (70%).

• Are an extra set of eyes and ears for families at home – is Mom on medication that makes her drowsy? Is Dad’s hearing getting bad? Are there new dents in the car?
• Act as a mediator for families during the car keys conversation with senior parents. 
• Drive seniors to the doctor or the grocery store - the top two places respondents worry their parents can’t visit if they can’t drive.
• The Visiting Angels survey also reveals 56% of adult children don’t know home care agencies offer this transportation service.
• Visiting Angels created a Senior Passenger Aboard sticker that seniors can proudly put on their vehicle while their caregiver drives them where they need to go. This sticker alerts drivers to be cautious around this vehicle, as seniors are more likely to be injured or killed in traffic crashes due to age-related vulnerabilities, such as fragile bones (AAA).

• The majority (61%) of respondents fear their parents will become depressed if they can’t drive. 
• Nearly half (45%) say it will in some way damage their relationship with their parents. 
• 42% say they worry they’ll now have to drive their parents around. 

• Arthritis - 80% of people in their 70s suffer from arthritis. Weaker muscles, reduced flexibility and limited range of motion restrict senior drivers’ ability to grip and turn the steering wheel, press the accelerator or brake, or reach to open doors and windows (AAA).
• Diabetes - may affect how drivers interpret and react to the driving environment (AAA).
• Blood sugar levels can cause sleepiness, dizziness, confusion, blurred vision, loss of consciousness, seizures, nerve damage in hands/legs/feet, etc. (American Diabetes Association).