Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Driving and Dementia—When to Stop!

 As you know, one of the most difficult moments in the life of a caregiver dealing with Alzheimer's Disease (or another dementia) in a loved one, is the famous struggle over the car keys.

I went through this in tragi-comic terms as described in my popular book, Dementia Diary, A Caregiver's Journal. 

There is a better way.  Click the blog, "Dementia Today". It lays out a plan that I would have found helpful at the time. I recommend it to you. It lists the following warning signs of dangerous driving:
  • Difficulty navigating to familiar places
  • Inappropriate lane changing
  • Confusing the brake and gas pedals
  • Failing to observe traffic signals
  • Making slow or poor decisions
  • Hitting the curb while driving
  • Driving at an inappropriate speed (often too slow)
  • Becoming angry or confused while driving
But it goes further and describes various ways for a caregiver to handle the situation. Take a look.

Robert Tell, Author
Great Books—Thriller Books—Mystery Stories