| Naomi was hopelessly lost. As she drove,
| |
| | state's attorneys, physicians, family
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| absolutely nothing looked familiar. She
| |
| | members, neighbors, friends, or other
|
| noticed a fluttering in her stomach. She
| |
| | drivers. In some states, all older
|
| had to admit that she was in a lovely
| |
| | drivers must take driving tests for
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| area, with large shade trees and a lovely
| |
| | annual renewals. Check with your state's
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| lawn, but there were no houses where she
| |
| | driver's licensing authority to see what
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| could stop to ask directions. And the
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| | rules and procedures exist for revoking
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| road seemed so narrow. She was starting
| |
| | driver's licenses for impaired drivers.If
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| to feel confused again. And there was
| |
| | your loved one's driver's license is
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| nowhere to turn around. So she stopped
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| | ultimately revoked, he or she should get
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| the car and placed the gearshift into
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| | a state issued photo identification card
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| park.Some time passed before a
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| | to use for check cashing, air travel, and
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| groundskeeper noticed the car on the golf
| |
| | other uses.Protecting Insurance
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| course cart path. He called the police. A
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| | CoverageEven with a doctor's advice not
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| patrolman checked Naomi's identification
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| | to drive, or a driver's license
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| and called her husband. The police
| |
| | revocation, a person with Alzheimer's may
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| officer then notified the state driver's
| |
| | still get behind the wheel. He or she may
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| licensing authority that Naomi should be
| |
| | forget that driving is no longer allowed.
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| retested.Knowing when and how to take
| |
| | Or, stubbornness, anger, or frustration
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| away the keys to the car is one of the
| |
| | may encourage him or her to grab the keys
|
| most troublesome issues facing families
| |
| | and hit the road. If that happens and an
|
| who have a loved one with the illness. As
| |
| | accident occurs, serious
|
| we age, our eyesight and hearing may
| |
| | consequences-beyond the risk of personal
|
| worsen. Depth perception plays tricks.
| |
| | injury or death to the driver,
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| Our reaction time slows. These elements
| |
| | passengers, or others-may result.For
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| of normal aging may interfere with our
| |
| | example, although some state laws require
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| ability to drive a motor vehicle safely.
| |
| | insurance companies to honor claims
|
| For someone with Alzheimer's disease,
| |
| | involving insured motor vehicles, even if
|
| these normal processes are complicated by
| |
| | driven by an unlicensed driver, an
|
| additional symptoms related to the
| |
| | insurance claim can be challenged.
|
| disease's effect on the brain. In fact,
| |
| | Insurance coverage may be cancelled. And
|
| studies show that a person with
| |
| | future applications for motor vehicle
|
| Alzheimer's disease has twice the chance
| |
| | insurance can be denied. In some states,
|
| of being involved in a motor vehicle
| |
| | insurance companies can cancel policies
|
| accident as a driver of the same age
| |
| | if a driver's license is revoked,
|
| without the illness.While a person in
| |
| | regardless of whether an accident has
|
| early stages of Alzheimer's disease may
| |
| | happened or not. Should a driver without
|
| retain the ability to drive a motor
| |
| | coverage become involved in a motor
|
| vehicle, as the disease progresses, the
| |
| | vehicle accident, his or her assets will
|
| time is likely to come when he or she is
| |
| | be at risk from claims by accident
|
| no longer safe behind the wheel. At the
| |
| | victims for property damage or personal
|
| same time, the person with Alzheimer's
| |
| | injury.These issues are particularly
|
| disease will cling to whatever sense of
| |
| | important for an unimpaired spouse of a
|
| independence he or she can.The American
| |
| | person with Alzheimer's disease.
|
| Psychiatric Association says that some
| |
| | Insurance cancellation will jeopardize
|
| Alzheimer's patients with moderate
| |
| | the spouse's insurability. Acceptance
|
| impairment and all severely impaired
| |
| | under a new policy may be difficult
|
| patients pose unacceptable risks to
| |
| | because of the spouse's older age. And
|
| themselves and others behind the wheel of
| |
| | the new policy may cost much more than
|
| a motor vehicle. Even those in early
| |
| | the previous one. State insurance laws
|
| stages of the disease may be unable to
| |
| | vary, and some states have regulations
|
| drive even short distances safely.
| |
| | pertaining to such situations.One option
|
| Depending on the individual, family
| |
| | is for the impaired driver to exclude
|
| members and others have a responsibility
| |
| | himself or herself from the policy,
|
| to assess the situation and, when
| |
| | enabling the unimpaired spouse to
|
| necessary, step in and take away the
| |
| | continue insurance coverage. But if the
|
| keys.Warning SignsHow do you know when to
| |
| | excluded driver drives anyway, a claim
|
| restrict driving privileges in a person
| |
| | for personal injury or property damage to
|
| with Alzheimer's disease? Trust your
| |
| | the driver's car may not be honored to
|
| instincts. If you feel uncomfortable
| |
| | the full extent of the policy's limits.
|
| riding with him or her-or letting your
| |
| | (Liability claims by others would likely
|
| children ride along-you may have
| |
| | be paid, however.) If that happened, the
|
| unconsciously decided that the time has
| |
| | policy would most likely be
|
| come. Another indicator is the person's
| |
| | canceled.Action Steps for Family
|
| inability to follow a recipe or perform
| |
| | MembersDepending upon your loved one's
|
| simple household tasks. These types of
| |
| | abilities and desire to drive, regardless
|
| activities require some of the same
| |
| | of driver's license status or doctor's
|
| mental abilities necessary for safely
| |
| | orders, family members can take steps to
|
| operating a motor vehicle.Deterioration
| |
| | prevent an impaired driver from operating
|
| in the ability to concentrate, as well as
| |
| | the car. Here are six steps you can
|
| impairment of judgment seen in people who
| |
| | take:1. Sell the car. If the car won't be
|
| have Alzheimer's disease, add to the
| |
| | driven, it makes sense to sell it.
|
| concern about such patients driving motor
| |
| | However, Americans love their cars. Some
|
| vehicles. According to the Alzheimer's
| |
| | even name them the way they would name a
|
| Association, some things to watch for
| |
| | pet dog or cat. If your loved one is
|
| include the following:1. Getting
| |
| | attached to his or her motor vehicle,
|
| lost.Anyone can get lost in an unfamiliar
| |
| | your suggestion to sell it may meet
|
| area. Those with Alzheimer's disease may
| |
| | strong objection, even if the impaired
|
| become disoriented and be unable to find
| |
| | driver seems to understand that driving
|
| his or her way in familiar locales.2.
| |
| | is no longer allowed. If the loved one
|
| Ignoring traffic signals.Failure to
| |
| | wants to keep the car, or is comforted by
|
| notice or obey stop signs, traffic lights
| |
| | seeing it in the garage or driveway, you
|
| or other highway markers may mean the
| |
| | can disable the car so it can't be
|
| driver didn't notice them. In addition,
| |
| | driven.2. Hide the car keys. If the car
|
| the driver may have lost the ability to
| |
| | remains in the family, someone must
|
| associate the sign with its meaning. He
| |
| | control access to all copies of the keys.
|
| or she may see the sign, but not know
| |
| | Lock them in a safe place unknown to the
|
| what it means.3. Lack of
| |
| | impaired driver.3. Replace the car key.
|
| judgment.Inability to estimate the speed
| |
| | If the impaired driver resists or refuses
|
| of oncoming traffic, deciding whether to
| |
| | to hand over his or her set of keys,
|
| stop for a yellow light or slide through
| |
| | quietly replace the car key with one that
|
| the intersection, or becoming confused at
| |
| | looks like it, but that doesn't work in
|
| a four-way stop sign are some examples of
| |
| | the vehicle.4. Remove the tires. Removing
|
| poor judgment while driving. Being slow
| |
| | the tires will disable the vehicle, but
|
| to make decisions-or making poor
| |
| | in some residential areas, parking a car
|
| ones-when driving can result in accidents
| |
| | on blocks is not allowed,
|
| that can harm the driver, as well as
| |
| | except-perhaps-in an enclosed garage.
|
| others on the road.4. Driving too fast or
| |
| | Check with your local jurisdiction before
|
| too slowly.Erratic driving at
| |
| | taking this step.5. Disable the vehicle.
|
| inappropriate speeds can indicate a lack
| |
| | Ask a mechanic to show you how to
|
| of concentration, as well as poor
| |
| | disconnect the car's battery or how to
|
| physical coordination. It may also
| |
| | disconnect the coil wire between the coil
|
| indicate poor judgment.5. Anger and
| |
| | and distributor. If a spouse or other
|
| confusion.You don't have to have
| |
| | household member needs to use the car,
|
| Alzheimer's disease to experience road
| |
| | reconnecting them is relatively easy.6.
|
| rage. Frustration during driving can make
| |
| | Park the car elsewhere. Park the car down
|
| anyone flustered or angry. If the driver
| |
| | the street, around the corner, or out of
|
| has Alzheimer's disease, however, watch
| |
| | sight in a neighbor's garage to make it
|
| for frequent occurrences of anger or
| |
| | inaccessible.Look for AlternativesA
|
| confusion, as well as inappropriate or
| |
| | person who has been driving for decades
|
| exaggerated reactions, while
| |
| | and who takes pride in his or her
|
| driving.Taking Away the Car KeysIf your
| |
| | independence will likely resist attempts
|
| family member's ability to drive is
| |
| | to restrict driving privileges. That
|
| impaired, you have a moral responsibility
| |
| | independence is difficult to give up,
|
| to take action to keep him or her off the
| |
| | especially in neighborhoods without good
|
| road. However, accomplishing this goal
| |
| | public transportation systems. The person
|
| may not be easy. Any suggestion that car
| |
| | may not want to burden friends or family
|
| keys be relinquished could be met with
| |
| | to get where he or she wants to go.In
|
| resistance, frustration, anger, or
| |
| | modern American culture, driving is
|
| hostility-especially when it comes from a
| |
| | important. For many, it involves
|
| family member who may already be
| |
| | self-esteem and status as well as
|
| providing care by assisting with
| |
| | mobility. For these reasons, those who
|
| activities of daily living like bathing,
| |
| | have Alzheimer's disease are unlikely to
|
| dressing, and meal preparation.Ask the
| |
| | admit difficulties they are experiencing
|
| DoctorMany Alzheimer's families turn to
| |
| | when driving. So, family members and
|
| the loved one's physician for help with
| |
| | physicians must balance the person's
|
| the issue. Your loved one may more easily
| |
| | convenience with the safety of the
|
| accept advice not to drive from a health
| |
| | driver, as well as passengers and other
|
| care professional he or she has an
| |
| | drivers on the road.When restricting
|
| established trust relationship with. For
| |
| | driving privileges becomes an issue, you
|
| one thing, a doctor is often seen as an
| |
| | can ease the transition by investigating
|
| authority figure. For another, such a
| |
| | alternative methods of getting from place
|
| third party can discuss the situation
| |
| | to place. Here are some choices you can
|
| objectively and dispassionately with less
| |
| | make available to your loved one in place
|
| chance of offending your loved one on a
| |
| | of a personal motor vehicle.1. Friends
|
| personal level. Many doctors understand
| |
| | and family.Are you willing to provide all
|
| the need for this intervention and will
| |
| | or part of your loved one's
|
| be willing to comply with requests of
| |
| | transportation needs? What about other
|
| this nature from family members. In some
| |
| | family members? If friends say, "let me
|
| cases, doctors will write the words "Do
| |
| | know if I can do anything to help,"
|
| Not Drive" on a prescription slip. In
| |
| | suggest they give your loved one a ride
|
| others, you may need to ask the doctor to
| |
| | to the grocery store, hairdresser, or
|
| file a request for re-examination of your
| |
| | doctor's appointment. You can also ask
|
| loved one's driving abilities by the
| |
| | for volunteers at your place of
|
| state driver's licensing
| |
| | worship.2. Public Transportation.Gather
|
| authority.Contact the State Licensing
| |
| | information about bus routes, train
|
| AuthorityAll states have a system in
| |
| | schedules, and taxi services. See whether
|
| place to require retesting of persons
| |
| | they offer discounts for older
|
| with mental or physical impairments.
| |
| | individuals or those with disabilities.
|
| However, state laws and re-examination
| |
| | Calculate round-trip fares from your
|
| processes vary. They may include medical
| |
| | loved one's home to frequently visited
|
| evaluation, as well as written and road
| |
| | locations, such as the grocery store,
|
| tests. Laws also vary concerning who is
| |
| | doctor's office, barber shop, or
|
| authorized to request re-examination.
| |
| | library.3.
|
| They may include police officers, judges,
| |
| |
|
