We Need to Talk...

Aging can bring about changes that may deteriorate a person’s ability to continue to drive safely. These changes may make it obvious to an older adult that it may be time to retire from driving. Sometimes though, this is not the case and that older adult, who may be your spouse, parent, sibling, or friend, does not realize they are a risk to themselves and others. The suggestion to surrender one’s driver’s license evokes emotions of loss, anger, or embarrassment in some older adults. These emotions make it a difficult conversation to have with a loved one.

It is important to remember that getting older is not necessarily a reason to give up driving. After all, driving serves as a source of independence and even a source of pride. But decreased reaction time, vision problems, and hearing decline are associated with normal aging. These factors may lead you to question a loved one’s driving abilities. The key for you is to not make assumptions based on age alone, but to observe your loved one as a passenger. If you have concerns, run an errand with the driver to gauge their response time and driving proficiency. If you see ‘red flags,’ broach the conversation later, not during the drive. Gently express your concern for their vulnerability on the road. Point out how their impaired driving proficiency hinders their ability to avoid risks posed by other more aggressive drivers. Framing the conversation without blame and approaching it as an ongoing dialogue will tend to increase the receptiveness of your loved one.

Finally, offer alternatives to your loved one who surrenders their driver’s license. Be ready to offer resources and support to help your loved one maintain their healthy independence.

The SAFE Delaware County Coalition aims to keep all seniors driving safely. We offer a variety of free driver safety programs at SourcePoint. July features roundabouts, focus groups on older driver assessment and medication effects, and CarFit. August features an occupational therapist on safe driving and in September, experts present “We Need to Talk,” addressing driver license surrender. Learn more and register at MySourcePoint.org/enrichment.