Client Stories - The Car

Q&A:

Maintaining Mobility; Retaining Independence

When aging parents try to defend their independence they sometimes run the risk of being exploited or misguided. This is especially true when their adult children live at a distance and are unable to provide checks and balances.

Recently, we worked with a couple, Bert and Anna, both with mid-stage dementia. Their daughter called to tell us her parents had contacted a car dealer thirty miles away. The dealer had picked the couple up, taken them to the dealership to look at cars and then helped them buy a car for cash. However, neither Bert nor Anna had current driver’s licenses.

Fortunately, our Care Manager was able to convince the car dealer to take back the car — no easy feat in a troubled economy — and return the couple’s full payment.

The Care Manager also helped Bert and Anna recognize the risk to themselves and to others. To help them feel more independent, she provided alternative resources for transportation and arranged for activities away from home. This helped keep them active and content while providing their family members with greater peace of mind.

Deciding whether or not to drive is difficult enough for elders and their families. But when dementia further complicates the situation, a professional intervention by a skilled expert is a valuable resource. The end was that Bert and Anna maintained a good sense of self-esteem while remaining safe.