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Other ArticlesDriving Dilemmas: Risk vs. Independence
By Kristine Dwyer, Staff Writer
Resources do exist to help physicians assess older adults
with memory impairments, weigh the legal and ethical
responsibilities, broach the topic of driving
retirement and move toward workable plans. The
Hartford Insurance Corporation, for example, offers
two free publications that make excellent patient
handouts: At the Crossroads: A Guide to Alzheimer's
Disease, Dementia and Driving and We Need to Talk:
Family Conversations with Older Drivers. These
resources reveal warning signs and offer practical
tips, sound advice, communication starters, and
planning forms. Other resources can be found through
the Alzheimer's Association. Physicians can also
refer to the laws and reporting requirements for
unsafe drivers in their state and work proactively
with patients and their families or caregivers to
achieve driving retirement before serious problems
occur. Ultimately, assessing and counseling patients
about their fitness to drive should be part of the
medical practice for all patients as they age and
face health changes.
Driver’s Role in Driving Cessation
“How will you know when it is time to stop driving?”
was a question posed to older adults in a research
study. Responses included “When the stress level
from my driving gets high enough, I’ll probably
throw my keys away” and “When you scare the living
daylights out of yourself, that’s when it’s time to
stop.” These responses are clues to a lack of
insight and regard for the social responsibility of
holding a driver’s license and the critical need for
education, evaluation and planning.
Realizing one can no longer drive can lead to
social isolation and a loss of personal or spousal
independence, self-sufficiency, and even employment.
In general, older drivers want to decide for
themselves when to quit, a decision that often stems
from the progression of medical conditions that
affect vision, physical abilities, perceptions and,
consequently, driving skills. There are many things
that an older adult can do to be a safe driver and
to participate in his or her own driving cessation.
The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention suggest that older adults:
Exercise regularly to increase strength and
flexibility.
Limit driving only to daytime, low traffic,
short radius, clear weather
Plan the safest route before driving and
find well-lit streets, intersections with left
turn arrows, and easy parking.
Ask the doctor or pharmacist to review
medicines—both prescription and over-the
counter—to reduce side effects and interactions.
Have eyes checked by an eye doctor at least
once a year. Wear glasses and corrective lenses
as required.
Preplan and consider alternative sources and
costs for transportation and volunteer to be a
passenger
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