As a mother, I remember struggling with the concept of leaving my son home alone, or when it was time for him to learn to drive or prepare his own taxes. Fast forward years later, I find myself having similar emotions when it comes to considering if it’s safe for my parents to keep driving, to do their own finances, or manage medications.
Just as there are no set age for children to be ready to handle certain life responsibilities on their own, there is no set age for when adults should no longer be managing their own affairs. In fact, the answer with both age groups is ‘it depends.’
So, what are the signs that tell us when someone should stop driving or when a person is no longer safe to manage their medications or finances? What should we be looking for to determine if mom or dad can CONTINUE TO live by themselves?
According to various experts, there are warning signs we can be aware of when it comes to certain life responsibilities.
Part One – When is it time to stop driving?
The NHTSA advises family members to look for the following indicators that an elderly driver may need to stop driving, such as:
Drifting into other lanes.
Straddling lanes.
Making sudden lane changes.
Ignoring or missing stop signs and traffic signals.
Increased confusion while driving in traffic.
Braking or stopping abruptly without cause.
Accelerating suddenly without reason.
Coasting to a near stop amid moving traffic.
Pressing simultaneously on the brake and accelerator pedals while driving.
Difficulty seeing pedestrians, objects and other vehicles.
Increasing levels of anxiety while driving.
Driving significantly slower than the posted speed limit or general speed of other vehicles.
Backing up after missing an exit or turn.
Difficulty reacting quickly and/or processing multiple stimuli.
Problems with back/neck flexibility and turning to see traffic/hazards around the car.
Getting lost or disoriented easily, even in familiar places.
Failing to use turn signals or keeping signals on without changing lanes.
Increased “close calls” and “near misses.”
Receipt of two or more traffic citations or warnings in the past two years.
Dents and scrapes on their car or on surrounding objects where they drive and park at home, such as fences, mailboxes, garage doors and curbs.
To find out more about what steps to take if your family member needs to stop driving, click on the provided link.
Forbes tells us “When your aging parent is no longer able to keep track of bills, investments and money management, someone else must step in.” However, there are three common mistakes to avoid when that time comes. Stay tuned for next Blog: Is my loved-one safe to…---? Part Two – when should our older loved-one give up financial control?
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