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Five Problems to Notice with Your Senior’s Driving

Your elderly family member might not want to talk directly about the idea of her giving up driving. But she might share some details with you that allow you to infer what else might be going on. All of these concerns mean you should ask more questions.

She’s in Pain When She Drives

Your senior might mention that driving puts pressure on her hips or that she has difficulty moving in certain ways. This is important information because there’s a lot of physicality in driving. If she’s in pain, that might mean that she’s not as able to control the car as she needs to be.

She Mentions She’s Emotionally Uncomfortable Driving

Beyond physical comfort, there’s also emotional comfort. If your elderly family member mentions that she’s gotten nervous or that she feels uncomfortable when she’s driving, like during rush hour traffic, that can be a red flag. She might need to reconsider whether there are times and situations during which she should opt not to drive.

She Doesn’t Notice Things Around Her

Being able to drive safely means that your senior is aware of her surroundings. That means she’s aware of other vehicles and of pedestrians around her vehicle. If she’s mentioning that things are just “appearing” around her when she drives, she might not be as aware as she needs to be. It might be time to have her vision checked and to make sure that she’s concentrating on driving when she’s behind the wheel.

Other Drivers Seem to Complain

Your senior might mention that other drivers are always angry around her. Whether they’re honking or sharing their displeasure in other ways, that could be a sign that your elderly family member is not exactly the best driver. Other drivers might be upset about the safety concerns your elderly family member presents when she’s out driving.

She’s Not Going Places Anymore

Something else your elderly family member might be doing is simply not going anywhere at all. This can be an indication that she understands on some level that she’s not a safe driver, but it’s not a good plan for her. She doesn’t have to isolate herself simply because driving has become difficult.

All of these issues are ones that mean you and your senior need to talk a lot more about her driving. One option might be to make sure that she’s got elderly care providers with her when you can’t be so that someone else can take over the driving for her.

When you are in need of care for a senior loved one, consider caregivers provided by Golden Heart Senior Care. We have offices nationwide. For more information, call us today at (800) 601-2792.

The post Five Problems to Notice with Your Senior’s Driving appeared first on Golden Heart Senior Care.



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