Talking to Your Parent About No Longer Driving
The thought of losing independence is frightening for anyone. The thought that you can no longer do the things that you need and want to do on your own and without the assistance of someone else can make you feel isolated, depressed, anxious, and as though you have lost control over your life. Unfortunately for many seniors, this can happen when the time has come for them to stop driving.
Elderly Care in Canton MI: Senior Driving Talk
Older drivers account for more than 40 million of the licensed drivers throughout the country, but the CDC notes that the risk of injury or death associated with vehicle accidents increases dramatically with age. Cognitive and physical challenges can reduce your parent’s ability to drive safely, putting themselves and others on the road at serious risk. If you have noticed signs that your parent should no longer be driving, now is the time for you to have an honest and open conversation with them about the issue so that you can move forward together.
Use these tips to help you talk to your parent about no longer driving:
–Be honest with them from the start of the conversation and clear about your point. Do not present the conversation as though it is a debate or that it might end with you changing your mind.
-Be clear about the issues that you have noticed and the concerns that you have so that your parent can recognize why you think that they should no longer drive, and not think that you are just trying to take over their life.
-Consider sitting down with a doctor and having them explain to your parent the risks that they are facing and why they should no longer drive.
-Acknowledge the difficult emotions that your parent is likely to experience and work together to resolve those emotions.
-Present alternatives to your parent driving that will help them to maintain their independence, such as public transportation, assistance from you, and a senior care provider.
-Listen to them and allow them to express to you what they are going through so that you can ensure that you create a schedule and support network designed to give them the highest quality of life possible moving forward.
How can elderly care help?
If you have been looking for ways to enhance your parent’s quality of life and ensure that they get the level of care, support, and assistance that they need to manage their individual needs, challenges, and limitations throughout their later years, now may be the ideal time to consider starting senior care.
An in-home senior care services provider can create a highly personalized set of services designed specifically for your parent as an individual. This means that they will receive the care that is right for them based on their needs, beliefs, personality, preferences, and goals. Through these services, your parent can stay healthy, happy, safe, and comfortable, while also pursuing a lifestyle that is as active, independent, and fulfilling as possible as they age in place. For you as their family caregiver, this can give you peace of mind knowing that even when you need to focus your energy and attention on other aspects of your life, your parent is still getting what they need to live the highest quality of life possible.
If you are considering elderly care in Canton, MI, contact the caring staff at No Place Like Home Health, LLC today. Call (734) 259-4200.
Source:
https://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/older_adult_drivers/index.html
https://www.aota.org/Conference-Events/Older-Driver-Safety-Awareness-Week.aspx
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