Several driving errors alert you to the fact it’s time to take your parent’s car keys away. Your dad mixed up the brake and gas pedal and drove into a building. Your mom thought she was clear, but she didn’t check her blind spot carefully enough and clipped another car.
Homecare in Newport Beach CA: Senior Driving Discussions
Maybe, your dad drove too far forward and ran into the garage door. Your mom couldn’t see well enough in the shadows as the sun set and hit cars parked on the side of the road. All of those situations happen and convince people it’s time to take keys away. What do you do when your parent is very resistant?
Enlist the Help of an Authority
Call your area’s Department of Motor Vehicles and see if they do driving tests for seniors. If your mom or dad fails the driving test, an authority is there to tell them they should not be driving.
If that’s not an option, have a doctor sit down and explain to your parent why driving is no longer something your parent can safely do. It may be medication side effects leading to drowsiness or worsening eyesight. With a doctor saying it’s not safe, your parent might give up the keys willingly.
Distract
While your mom or dad is distracted, take the keys away. Go to wherever they leave keys while they’re sleeping, watching TV, or eating dinner and take them. They may panic and miss them later, but you have the keys and can keep them from getting them back.
Use Yourself as an Example
Take the driving error your parent made and spin it around. Ask your mom or dad what would have happened if you’d done that when you were a teen driver. Odds are you would have lost driving privileges for a while.
Once your parents admit that it wasn’t a safe behavior, explain that it’s the reason why you feel it’s safer to take the keys away. You don’t want harm coming to your parent or someone else on the street.
Emphasize That Giving Up Driving Doesn’t Mean a Loss of Independence
Make sure your mom or dad knows that giving up the car keys doesn’t mean a loss of independence. You’ll make sure they have rides to friends’ houses, stores, restaurants, and area senior centers. They’ll still have rides to medical offices and area parks.
To do this, talk to your parent about transportation services. They can have a caregiver drive them wherever they need to go. Caregivers can also run errands for them, do the shopping, cook meals, and help with light housework. Call a home care agency to discuss other services caregivers offer to area seniors.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering Homecare in Newport Beach, CA, please contact the caring staff at Canaan Home Care today!
1-844-CANAAN-1 (1-844-226-2261)
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