If you have an elderly parent you are looking after, you may notice their vision is decreasing as well as their motor skills. It may be time to talk to them about no longer driving. This is a conversation about their safety as well as everyone else’s on the road. This conversation may be a tough one to have, and prepare yourself for them to be resistant at first, but it is really only for their good and your own. We prepared some advice on how to approach this conversation.
There is now a program available to elderly drivers in the US called the Enhanced Self-Assessment Program in which there are questions you should ask yourself about your parents driving. This program is built on the premise that everyone wants to participate in the decisions that affect them. In this program, there are drivers in your area that ride in the car with your parent to assess their skills behind the wheel.
When the time finally arrives for a conversation with your parents to occur, you need to approach it with dignity and respect. Sometimes the elderly consider the loss of being able to drive as no longer independent. Without the ability to go to the grocery store or to church on their own, they need to rely on others. You should approach the topic where it is looked at like “limiting driving, not living” as program founder Matt Gurwell says.
You should plan ahead of time the discussion for a quiet time of day where the conversation does not have to be rushed. Consider your own role in their life and how you can help them with the transition along with other supporting members of the family. Make sure your expectations are realistic and this transition will not happen overnight.
If this conversation is approaching faster than you thought it ever would, be sure to have extra support with you on hand to convey the message, whether it is other family members or someone from the Enhanced Self-Assessment Program.
