Caregiver Hicksville NY
When your loved one is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, you might be concerned about when to talk to him about driving. There are some clues that can help you to determine when it might be time to have a conversation. As a family caregiver, this conversation can be a difficult one to have.
He Has Trouble Getting Where He's Going
Some elderly loved ones who have Alzheimer's disease can't remember how to get to destinations that they frequently visit. This happens because changes to your loved one's brain alter how he processes information. Your loved one might be disturbed by this development or he might not even realize that he's having trouble getting to places that are normally familiar to him.
He Has Difficulty with the Mechanics of Driving
Often an elderly loved one who has Alzheimer's disease will have trouble with driving, even if he doesn't realize it. He might mix up the functions of the pedals in the car, he might forget where the different switches are, or he might otherwise have difficulty with the interior workings of the vehicle. All of this can be exceedingly dangerous for your loved one when he's out on the road.
He Isn't Observing Traffic Signs and Laws
When your loved one is out and about in his car, pay attention to whether or not he's paying attention to traffic signs and signals. Although he may understand on one level what a stop sign means, he could be ignoring it while he's driving. Your loved one may also be making other errors, like changing lanes in a dangerous manner or drifting from one lane to another.
He's Been Making Poor Decisions
If your loved one is making poor decisions in other situations, such as at home while cooking, then it stands to reason that he's having difficulty making decisions at other times, such as while he's driving. Those poor decisions could bode badly for him if he's traveling in his car alone.
It's never a good feeling to have to tell your elderly loved one that he can't drive anymore, but it may become necessary.