What Kinds of Guidelines Should You Set to Help Your Senior Keep Driving?
If your senior wants to keep driving, it may still be possible. In order to judge that properly, you may want to look into setting some ground rules that dictate whether she continues to drive. This gives her solid objectives to shoot for in order to continue driving.
She Needs to Stay Active.
Maintaining her physical health is one of the biggest things that your aging adult can do in order to keep herself behind the wheel of her car. This is because so much about driving is physical. If she is physically unable to steer the car, look over her shoulder, and keep up with all that needs to be done, she really shouldn’t be driving at all.
She Needs to Keep Her Vision Appointments.
Keeping up with vision screenings ensures that your elderly family member can still see well enough to drive. Ideally these appointments should be annual, whether your senior has existing eye conditions or not. Her eye doctor may recommend more frequent screenings depending on what is going on with her vision.
Her Medications Shouldn’t Interfere with Driving.
If your senior takes medications, look closely at the side effects. Keep in mind also that if several of her medications have side effects such as drowsiness or dizziness, those symptoms are compounded by taking her medication. Work with your aging family member’s doctor to manage her medications and how they affect her driving.
She Needs to Accept Limitations When They Crop Up.
Regardless of your senior’s ability to drive, she may come across situations that prove to be a hard limit for her. This might mean that rainy weather is a deal breaker for her and she needs to let someone else drive or it might mean that she doesn’t drive after dusk. Work out what your senior’s limitations are and provide alternatives for her, such as you driving for her or hiring elderly care providers who can drive for her.
She’s Willing to Take a Driver’s Course for Older Adults.
Taking a driving course designed specifically for older adults helps to give her a refresher course on driving in general and can give her tips that help her specifically. She may also get a discount from her insurance company for taking such a course.
You may need to be prepared to stick to your guns on the guidelines that you set. If your senior doesn’t abide by what you’ve agreed upon, she needs to hang up the keys.
If you or an loved-one are considering professional elderly care in Radnor, PA, talk to Unlimited Staffing Solutions. Specializing in Home and Community Based Support Waiver Services Since 2001. Please Call Us for Your Home Care Needs (215) 447-713
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