Know the route that Grandpa takes to his regular daytime activities.
Make sure Mom carries identification and your contact information with her
whenever she’s out of the house.
Check that your senior’s car is well maintained. Check often for problems
with windshield wipers, tires, and brakes.
Even those who drive safely by day may suffer night blindness, which is
common among seniors. Ride along with your loved one periodically at different
times of day to assess these skills.
AARP (formerly the American Association of Retired Persons) offers a course
called 55/ALIVE for mature drivers. It’s designed to help troubleshoot a lot of
the problems seniors develop in driving. If you suspect your loved one needs
help, insist he take this course. It may help convince him if you let him know
he’ll probably get a reduction in his car insurance when he completes the
course. Call toll-free at 1-888-227-7669 or go to aarp.org/55alive.
A problem seniors often have with night driving is that they’re more likely
to be “blinded” by bright headlights. There are special glare-reduction
glasses your senior can wear to avoid this problem.
Remove the distributor cap from Mom’s car or take the keys if she shouldn’t
be driving but is being really stubborn about it. Loss of the ability to drive
can be extremely upsetting for seniors-many consider it to be the single most
difficult change they face. Recognize this and work to set up practical
transportation alternatives so Mom won’t feel completely stranded.
Take the time to teach Dad necessary public transportation routes (to and
from the senior center, etc.). Accompany him the first few times to make sure
he knows what to do in case there are glitches.
Great gift idea: a small change purse filled with a supply of transportation
tokens or the correct change if your mother’s using a senior discount pass.
Great gift idea: a small change purse filled with a supply of transportation
tokens or the correct change if your mother’s using a senior discount pass.
Many individual organizations provide transportation to and from their
facilities or meetings. Examples are hospital or senior center shuttles, or
church or synagogue carpools. Make sure to look into these options if Mom needs
a way to get to the doctor’s office or to Sunday services.
If you add up the expense of owning a car-paying for insurance, gas, and
maintenance, plus tolls-it might not come out to much more than your parent
would spend if he hired a private car service, assuming he doesn’t drive more
than a few times a week. What a luxury!
Arrange for a responsible teenage personal escort to help your parent on
shopping trips and other excursions.
