As your parent ages, it is only natural that you begin worrying more about their safety. They may be slower and more prone to injuries, which may be a major cause of worry for you, especially when they are driving on the road. Although many retirees are safe drivers on the road, many may be a hazard to others and themselves on the road. This is why it is important to look out for signs that may indicate that it is time to have a conversation with your parents about considering alternative forms of transport. Read on to find out what are the signs indicating your parent should stop driving.
Undergoing Physical Changes
As your parents age, undergoing physical changes in their bodies is simply a natural process. Their eyesight may worsen, their vision may be impaired and they may experience more stiffness and pain in their bodies. Though this is a totally normal process, undergoing these changes may affect your parent’s abilities as a driver. These changes may affect their ability to spot and hear dangers or pedestrians on the road. Their slower reaction time can also result in them getting into unwanted accidents due to their inability to react to the rapid changes on the road. Having fast reaction times and good eyesight are absolutely important when on the road, so if you feel these are two aspects in which your parents are lacking, perhaps they need to get off the road.
Getting Into Accidents
This is one of the most definite signs that your parents should be getting off the road. Accidents, or even close calls, suggest that your parents are a risk to themselves and others. It indicates that their driving skills are deteriorating and they are unable to accurately estimate the dangers on the road. If you feel as though your parents may be too embarrassed to speak to you about their road accidents, look out for signs of damage on the car.
Medications
If your parents are on heavy medications, it may be time to reassess whether they should be on the road. If the medications they are consuming causes drowsiness, this can greatly affect their attentiveness on the road. Other side effects like blurry vision or nausea can also affect driving skills, so it’s better to steer clear from staying on the road in such situations.
However, this conversation about driving may be a difficult one for you to have with your parent. It may be challenging for them to accept that they should not be on the road any longer. This is why you can aim to come to a compromise, whereby you allow them to drive occasionally, whilst you are in the car. This allows them to preserve some independence and dignity whilst also being under your watchful eye.
Being a caregiver is challenging as you may be wondering whether you are making the right decision for your loved one. At TerraBella Summit, we hope to ease some of these worries that you may face. Our experienced team is well-versed in dealing with retirees, so you can be sure to have peace of mind while your family member is with us. Our good reviews say it all!
