Senior care Olympia WA can provide transportation solutions
Are you struggling with the question of how long your aging parent should continue to drive? This is a question that will inevitably arise in the course of an aging parent’s life. It is played out in many families every day. Every family will address it differently. It seems to come down to safety vs. freedom. Who should decide when an elder should hang up the car keys for good? And how will their transportation needs be met from then on? The problem is complex, and can bring up lots of emotions. It may be reassuring to know that senior care Olympia WA can provide a solution to your loved one’s transportation needs.
As for the question of when your parent or grandparent should give up driving, there is no right way to convince an aging parent to give up driving because everyone is different. Approaching this subject gradually, over time, seems to be the best approach to getting your parent to see your point of view. It’s usually not a good strategy to bombard them with facts, figures and reasons that they should stop driving. Talking about it in shorter, repeated conversations will be more likely to get the results you want, but the following are some suggestions to start with. Some of them will seem obvious, while others may be new ideas.
Talk to your parent about the harm they can do to other people if they continue to drive.
Talk to them about the harm they can do to themselves.
Let them know that you don’t think they should drive anymore.
Talk to them about helping them with errands and other needs.
Suggest other transportation solutions, such as neighbors, senior transportation, cabs, etc.
Express your empathy for the feelings that quitting driving will bring up.
Ask your parent’s doctor to assess how their health affects their ability to continue driving.
Find a way to make giving up driving your parent’s own idea.
Make a list of all the advantages of never having to drive again.
Help your parent learn how to take a cab or other mode of transportation. Take them through it yourself the first time.
Make positive statements that by not driving, your parent is protecting himself or herself and they are also protecting the safety of others.
At Assisted Living Options we can help you find senior care Olympia WA that includes transportation services that fit the needs of your parent or loved one. Contact us today, we can help put you on the road to peace of mind.