Families Should Check Driving Ability of Senior
Citizens During Family Holidays
Consumer Reports Health offers tips for determining
when to take the keys away from an older driver
Dec.
7, 2010 -
The holidays can be a good time to get the family together to discuss a
senior’s driving ability and agree on next steps, according to Consumer
Reports Health, which provides advice on how to judge an older driver’s
ability.
Consumer Reports
notes that increasing numbers of Americans 70 years of age and older are
still licensed to drive - a trend that is accelerating as expected as
baby boomers join the senior citizen ranks.
What’s more, the
magazine warns, as many as 76
percent of people with mild dementia are still able to pass a driving
test.
However, older drivers claim other road users were
responsible for putting them at risk and rarely considered themselves as
responsible for hazardous events
The full report
on the steps families should take to evaluate whether an older loved one
is safe behind the wheel is in the January issue of Consumer Reports and
online at
www.ConsumerReportsHealth.org.
“Several
skills, specifically vision, response time and neuromuscular control,
worsen with age,” says Orly Avitzur, M.D., medical adviser to Consumer
Reports Health and a board certified neurologist.
“It is also
clear that driving skills can deteriorate as cognitive abilities –
memory, language, perception, reasoning and thinking – decline,” she
says.
“I recommend to
my patients that they use holiday reunions as a time to get the family
together to discuss a senior’s driving ability and agree on the next
steps.”
Other ailments
besides dementia that can impede driving include angina (chest pain),
arthritis, glaucoma, respiratory illness, and various neurological
conditions.
Dr. Avitzur
urges families and caregivers to take the time to take a look at a loved
one’s recent driving history and health, and solicit observations about
driving behaviors.
“The challenge
for families and medical experts is to identify unsafe drivers without
restricting those who drive safely,” she says.
For drivers who
are still fit to drive, CRH advises consumers on the best cars for older
drivers online.
Below are some
tips from CRH for determining when to take the keys away from an older
driver:
1. Get the
family together – The more cohesive the message, the better.
2. Check
with a doctor – He or she might recommend talking to a specialist.
Doctors can also help by telling someone to stop driving or by
“prescribing” it.
3. Check
your state laws – Regulations impose varying restrictions on older
drivers. For example. Georgia residents who are 64 or older are required
to have an eye exam every five years to renew their license. For
specifics on your state, go to
www.iihs.org/laws/olderdrivers.aspx.
4. Consult a
driving rehabilitation expert for an off-road evaluation and an on-road
assessment. Find a certified specialist in your state at www.driver-January.
5. Arrange
for other transportation. A social worker can help.
6. If
necessary, call in an attorney to discuss the legal and financial
consequences of a crash or injury. And if all else fails, take away the
keys or the car.
Keep up with the latest news for senior citizens, baby
boomers
Dec.
7, 2010 -
The holidays can be a good time to get the family together to discuss a
senior’s driving ability and agree on next steps, according to Consumer
Reports Health, which provides advice on how to judge an older driver’s
ability. 
