Elderly Care Long Island NY
Often elderly loved ones are intimidated and defensive about any type of conversation that could lead to having their car keys taken away. Once you understand that the fear is mostly about losing independence, it's easier to make an effort to help your loved one keep driving if she's able to do so.
Get an All Clear from Her Doctor
For starters, you need to make sure that your elderly loved one is medically able to keep driving. Medications and health conditions can certainly contribute to retiring early from the driver's seat, so it's important to make sure that your loved one is physically able to keep driving. Talk to her doctor about your concerns and get his point of view on her overall health and fitness.
Start an Exercise Plan
Driving is much more about physical ability than many people realize. Your loved one has to be strong enough to manage the wheel and flexible enough to be able to move the way she needs to in order to operate the car and to see around her. If she has range of motion issues or is lacking physical strength, those are just a few ways that she can work her way out of driving. With her doctor's blessing, start an exercise plan with your loved one. Focus on her weaknesses to turn those into strengths.
Work Her Brain, Too
Your loved one's mental abilities are just as important as her physical ones because there are a lot of decisions and calculations to make while driving. Start doing brain boosting activities together, such as puzzles, games, and other activities that help improve mental sharpness.
Keep Her Car in Tip Top Shape
Your loved one can be the best driver ever and if her car isn't in the best shape, she can still wind up with problems on the road. Make sure that her car is taken care of so that it can take care of her when she is out driving.
Reassess as Needed
As your loved one's family caregiver, it's your responsibility to revisit the conversation about driving if it seems that something has changed. Engage your loved one in open, honest discussions about her driving abilities and let her know she can come to you with her own concerns.
Make sure you let your loved one know that your biggest concern is her health and safety. This doesn't have to be a control issue if you don't make it one.