Alzheimer's Disease: Home Safety Information (cont.)
Driving
Driving is a complex activity that demands quick reactions, alert
senses, and split-second decision-making. For a person with
Alzheimer's disease, driving becomes
increasingly more difficult. Memory loss, impaired judgment, disorientation,
impaired visual and spatial perception, slow reaction time, certain medications,
diminished attention span, inability to recognize cues such as stop signs and
traffic lights can make driving particularly hazardous.
People with Alzheimer's disease who continue to drive can be a danger to themselves, their
passengers, and the community at large. As the disease progresses, they lose
driving skills and must stop driving. Unfortunately, people with Alzheimer's
disease often cannot
recognize when they should no longer drive. This is a tremendous safety concern.
It is extremely important to have the impaired person's driving abilities
carefully evaluated.
Warning Signs of Unsafe Driving
Often, it is the caregiver, a family member, neighbor, or friend who becomes
aware of the safety hazards. If a person with Alzheimer's disease experiences one of more of the
following problems, it may be time to limit or stop driving.
Does the person with Alzheimer's disease:
- get lost while driving in a familiar location?
- fail to observe traffic signals?
- drive at an inappropriate speed?
- become angry, frustrated, or confused while driving?
- make slow or poor decisions?
Please do not wait for an accident to happen. Take action immediately!
Explaining to the person with Alzheimer's disease that he or she can no longer drive can be
extremely difficult. Loss of driving privileges may represent a tremendous loss
of independence, freedom, and identity. It is a significant concern for the
person with Alzheimer's disease and the caregiver. The issue of not driving may produce anger,
denial, and grief in the person with Alzheimer's disease, as well as guilt and anxiety in the
caregiver. Family and concerned professionals need to be both sensitive and
firm. Above all, they should be persistent and consistent.
The doctor of a person with Alzheimer's disease can assist the family with the task of
restricting driving. Talk with the doctor about your concerns. Most people will
listen to their doctor. Ask the doctor to advise the person with Alzheimer's
disease to reduce
his or her driving, go for a driving evaluation or test, or stop driving
altogether. An increasing number of States have laws requiring physicians to
report Alzheimer's disease and related disorders to the Department of Motor Vehicles. The
Department of Motor Vehicles then is responsible for retesting the at-risk
driver. Testing should occur regularly, at least yearly.
When dementia impairs driving and the person with Alzheimer's disease continues to insist on
driving, a number of different approaches may be necessary.
- Work as a team with family, friends, and professionals, and use a
single, simple explanation for the loss of driving ability such as: "You
have a memory problem, and it is no longer safe to drive." "You cannot drive
because you are on medication." or "The doctor has prescribed that you no
longer drive."
- Ask the doctor to write on a prescription pad DO NOT DRIVE. Ask the
doctor to write to the Department of Motor Vehicles or Department of Public
Safety saying this person should no longer drive. Show the letter to the
person with Alzheimer's disease as evidence.
- Offer to drive.
- Walk when possible, and make these outings special events.
- Use public transportation or any special transportation provided by
community organizations. Ask about senior discounts or transportation
coupons. The person with Alzheimer's disease should not take public transportation
unsupervised.
- Park the car at a friend's home.
- Hide the car keys.
- Exchange car keys with a set of unusable keys. Some people with
Alzheimer's disease are
in the habit of carrying keys.
- Place a large note under the car hood requesting that any mechanic call
you before doing work requested by the person with Alzheimer's disease.
- Have a mechanic install a "kill switch" or alarm system that disengages
the fuel line to prevent the car from starting.
- Consider selling the car and putting aside the money saved from
insurance, repairs, and gasoline for taxi funds.
- Do not leave a person with Alzheimer's disease alone in a parked car.
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