When Should Your Loved-One Stop Driving?
How would you react if you were sitting in the back seat, one of your parents were driving, and they became slightly confused when it came time to take an exit? Or if they brushed a curb while driving down the road?
Most people wouldn’t consider either situation alarming, but what if your loved-one got lost on the way to the grocery store or some another familiar location?
It happened to 84-year-old “Mary” of Charlotte, N.C., about two years ago. She was supposed to drive herself to a dentist appointment but somehow ended up about 10 miles away at a post office. Fortunately, she remembered her home phone number and was able to call her husband for help. When he arrived, he hugged her and with tears in his eyes told her it was time to take away the keys.
As baby boomers age, taking away the keys is a decision more and more of their children and spouses are going to have to make. Safe driving is no longer possible once a person’s vision, hearing and/or reaction time have become impaired by old age; or once diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia have robbed them of such cognitive abilities as memory, judgment, and understanding.
“In Mary’s case, it wasn’t the first time she had taken a wrong turn. Fortunately, her husband found the strength to take away the keys, but a lot of people are reluctant to do so because they fear their loved-one will see it as a loss of their freedom and dignity. We make sure that is not the case,” says Pat Drea, vice president of Visiting Angels, the home care agency hired to help Mary just days after her husband told her it was unsafe for her to continue driving.
Some days the home caregiver from Visiting Angels would play cards with Mary or help her do housework and make dinner; other days she would drive Mary to doctors’ appointments or the store, or just take her to the park for an afternoon stroll. “Our Visiting Angels did everything possible to make life seem normal that year before Mary entered the nursing home which I’m sure both she and her husband appreciated,” says Drea.
In addition to helping out at home, Visiting Angels can also be hired as companions for people in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Our services are covered by most long-term care insurance plans.
If you or a loved one is in need of assistance, contact us today. There is absolutely no obligation to you, one of our case managers will visit your home and learn what your unique needs are so that we can custom tailor your home care plan. Contact us at 617-795-2727 today to schedule an assessment.
About Visiting Angels Newton/Canton:
Visiting Angels of Newton/Canton is an award-winning local home care agency providing high caliber in-home care services to elderly and disabled adults. Countless families in Norwood, Westwood, Newton, Canton, Wellesley, and the Greater Boston and MetroWest areas have benefited from our cognitive health programs, dementia and Alzheimer's care,companion care, elderly assistance, respite support, transitional aid, and senior home care services. While non-medical in nature, the help provided by Visiting Angels Newton/Canton can make a big impact on your loved one's happiness and quality of life.