Is It Time to Get the Car Keys from Your Parents?

They’ll probably have several options to move around

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

 

If you have decided that you or your parents should no longer drive, that doesn’t mean becoming a homebody.

Cutting off social ties is a bad idea. Socializing helps improve mood, health and even longevity. Once the car is parked for good, plenty of options can keep one social and on the go. The key is planning strategies before relinquishing driving.

Reduce the need to drive.

Set up automatic delivery of pantry staples, paper goods, pet food and other regularly purchased items for fewer shopping trips. This can also make each shopping trip lighter, which is important when using public transportation for grocery shopping. Having fewer bags to lug makes it easier. Luddites can use Gogograndparent. Once a techie sets up this service, users can call on any phone (even a landline) and a live operator acts as a go-between to help the caller order grocery restaurant delivery. There’s also Amazon Prime, Chewy.com and a plethora of other sites that operate on a subscription model for frequently used items. Have your parents start using these now to become familiar with how they work.

As the time to stop driving draws near, you can help your parents arrange rides to church, organization meetings and other places they frequent. Check with current younger members who live nearby. Many people feel glad to help out. Or hire a driving grandchild to help you out. Barter transportation services for free babysitting or other help.

Many services come to one’s home, from pet groomers to physical therapists. Since the pandemic, even medical and mental health services providers can be reached via the internet. Most of the time, virtual medical appointments are not held using Zoom but a different, more secure platform. However, the care provider can offer easy steps for signing up.

Online meet-ups for socializing can also keep one connected without going behind the wheel but seeing people in-person is important too.

Learn how to use ride share apps.

Lyft and Uber can provide rides to anywhere local, but users need to download and learn how to use the app before the need arises. Gogograndparent can also summon ride sharing services for callers.

Use public transportation.

In addition to RTS (www.myrts.com), there are traditional taxi companies and service organizations and churches that offer reduced rates for senior medical and errand transportation. The organizations tend to require advanced notice and operate on a first-come, first-served basis. Some limit rides to medical appointments; others will offer rides for errands. Check out https://www.211lifeline.org and search for “transportation.”

 

When to Stop

Unsure if it’s time to stop driving? According to the American Automobile Association, look for the following signs:

• The driver has received two or more traffic tickets or warnings in the past two years. Tickets can predict the greatest risk for collision.

• The driver has been involved in two or more collisions or “near misses” in the past two years.

• Rear-end crashes, parking lot fender-benders and side collisions while turning across traffic rank as the most common mishaps for drivers with diminishing skills, depth perception or reaction time.

• Getting lost on familiar routes and general confusion and disorientation while driving such as confusing the gas and brake pedal.

• Inattentive driving, difficulty spotting signs, straddling lanes, weaving, incorrect signaling and failing to check mirrors.

• Difficulty getting in and out of the vehicle and arthritic hands.

While some of these issues may be mitigated by addressing underlying medical issues, taking a driver safety course as a refresher and sticking with only familiar routes, short trips and daylight driving, a professional driving evaluation can help determine if it’s time to retire from driving.

New York Safety Council offers driving safety training in Rochester (https://shorturl.at/liwcl) that can help drivers brush up and to reduce any points on their driving record. Also, Rochester Rehab (www.rochesterrehab.org/driveon) operates a driver rehabilitation program can help evaluate senior driver safety and provide guidance and strategies to help drivers stay safe.