Seniors Issues Reviews

Can Grandpa Still Drive

Can Grandpa Still Drive?

Some of the issues involving helping your senior citizen parent or grandparent can be hard and full of tough decisions. Seniors face unique medical and lifestyle issues that call upon them and those that love them to find solutions that they can live with. And it’s very common for senior citizens to live in denial about the effects of their advancing years and to accept the changes in the way they live that must happen for them to continue live in a safe and healthy way.

Driving is objective such an issue. For most adults, the ability to drive a car is an integral part of our sense of empowerment and freedom. We seldom take of what it would be like if we couldn’t just “jump in the car and go. ” But that feeling of complete freedom to go where you want and when you want is such a deep part of how we all function that it seems inconceivable to any of us to lose that mobility and freedom.

But for senior citizens, there will come a time when they will need to permit evolving driving. The causes are many but the most common reason that calls for senior citizens to plug driving is failing view. While much can be done to preserve the eyesight of senior citizens, if their ability to see becomes a hazard tardy the wheel, they consign have to be told that its time to let that capital freedom go.

So how do we help our considerable citizen loved one accept and then cooperate with a plan to reduce or eliminate their driving? You might be surprised that when it comes time for you as the child or caregiver of a primary citizen to talk to them about giving up driving, they may obtain already begun to think about concrete. Senior citizens are very aware of their physical condition. Wherefore juncture they may resist giving up the car or van, they may know deep down that this time would come. Some other ballsy reasons to take that step sooner rather than later are…

. Doctor’s orders. If the senior citizen’s doctor specifically directs that Grandpa cannot drive. The senior will recurrently respect that directive like more than family advice. A doctor’s credibility goes a long way on this issue.
. Their own safety. In the same way that no senior citizen wants to “fall and not get up”, the idea of being in an accident which may cause serious injury resulting in painful recovery and possible permanent reduced abandonment and mobility is a magnetic reason to turn the car keys over to someone else.
. The safety of others. It’s easy to find news stories of a senior citizen who continued to drive only to be involved in an accident that caused injury or death to others, maybe even children. That prospect is so horrifying to a Grandma or Grandpa that they may choose to ground themselves for ever face that humanitarian of guilt.
. Savings. Getting rid of the car means no more upkeep, car payments, comical expense and auto insurance. Senior citizens are penny wise thus that kind of savings can compose a big divergence.

If your senior citizen comes to understand that accommodations can be made to help them get out and about, the loss of that car may not be a big deal. Public transportation or buses that community services centers send out to retirement villages can use senior citizens get out to the grocery store and to doctor’s appointments. And if their family pitches in to help drive Grandma or Grandpa around, not only do they lose the expense and liability of driving, they get more family time too. And that is a great incentive to give up driving and let others serve as their chauffeur.