I just read the story of the 100 year old driver injuring 14 people on August 30, 2012 in Los Angeles. Driving at later ages is a concern for families and communities. What can families do? What should families or friends do when they suspect that cognition or physical frailty is impairing an elder’s ability to drive?
Just taking the keys away is not enough and sometimes not legal – but families try this and often fail because elders, despite a dementia, call a car repair and have new keys made. Even when cars are taken, the creative yet impaired elder can call a car dealer and have a new car delivered!
Professional Geriatric Care Managers help families with these difficult decisions and come up with creative, respectful ways in which to remove unsafe drivers from our communities. They will also help elders who are unfairly being requested to stop driving only because of their age – not their abilities. We all have rights but, when we are impaired, we don’t have the ability to make sound decisions and families struggle with these tough conversations.
Reporting a driver to the DMV is a first step but it might not be as expedient as being creative and protecting others, as well as the older frail driver.
If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area, Eldercare Services has more than 17 Professional Geriatric Care Managers to guide you through this challenging process. Families living outside of the area can find a care manager at www.memberfinder.caremanager.org.
Read the news story here.
Carolyn Rosenblatt says
September 11, 2012 at 9:10 pmHello Linda:
On the subject of dangerous older drivers, it is helpful for families to understand the law, generally, and how to address this issue in view of the legal options. I have a 50pp book that is available in downloadable PDF, audio and print (Kindle too) called How to Handle a Dangerous Older Driver. Perhaps you would find it a helpful addition to care managers efforts to work with families facing this challenge. It’s on our website and on Amazon. I represented car accident victims as a litigator for 27 years and it is a subject close to my heart.
Carolyn L. Rosenblatt, RN, BSN, Attorney, Mediator,
AgingParents.com
415 459-0413
Linda says
September 11, 2012 at 11:39 pmHello Carolyn,
You gave me your book after I wrote the newsletter “Taking the Keys Away? And it’s not your teenage son; it’s Dad! (http://74.52.114.164/~elderc/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/June-Taking-the-Car-Keys-Away.pdf). We use your book and refer to it whenever this issue presents itself to our clients. Thank you for the reference and for your commitment to elders and their families.
Cheers,
Linda