What Can You Do When a Driving Conversation Goes Bad?

By Andy Niska | July 25, 2018 |

If you’ve been dreading a conversation with your elderly family member about driving, you might not be completely wrong. But even a bad conversation can turn around and produce good results.

Elder Care in Liberty Lake WA: When a Driving Conversation Goes Badly

Defuse the Situation and Return to the Talk Later.

Once the conversation starts to blow up, the best thing that you can do is attempt to defuse it as quickly as possible. You don’t want to keep upsetting your elderly family member and you certainly don’t need to be all worked up, either. Once everyone is calmer and has had a chance to reflect, you can return to the conversation. As long as your senior’s immediate safety isn’t compromised, this is one of the best things to do.

Talk to Your Senior’s Doctor.

By now you have a particular reason you’re concerned about your senior’s driving. She’s either been in an accident or you’ve noticed certain driving habits that worry you. The next step may be to talk to your elderly family member’s doctor to determine if there is something to all of this or if you’re possibly overreacting. Her doctor may want to talk to her about the topic and even run some tests. This can be a huge help for you.

Try to Come to a Compromise.

Compromise can be the word that saves this conversation for both of you. Perhaps your elderly family member has particular trouble with driving in certain types of light, such as dusk and dawn, or during bad weather. At other times, she’s fine to drive. Hiring elder care providers to drive when she can’t lets your senior know that you trust her to drive when it’s safe for her to do so.

Safety Is What’s Important.

The bottom line here is your senior’s safety. That’s where all your decisions and observations need to originate and where they need to conclude. If the concern isn’t about her safety, you might be nervous about her driving for other reasons and that might be something for you to explore.

As a Last Resort.

Some aging adults have lots of evidence to support the claim that they shouldn’t be driving and that still doesn’t stop them. You may have to resort to some solutions that don’t feel comfortable for you, like asking her doctor to formally tell her to stop driving or request that the Department of Motor Vehicles revokes her license. None of these options feel good, but they may be there if you absolutely need them.

Remember that you’re having this conversation because you care about your senior and her well-being. This doesn’t have to be an argument that you two allow to grow until it’s out of control. Remember to be respectful and compassionate with what is an extremely difficult topic.

If you or an aging loved one are considering elder care in Liberty Lake, WA, please contact the friendly staff at Love at Home Senior Care, today. Call (509) 204-4088

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Andy Niska

Owner at Love In Home Senior Care

Andy has over 20+ years experience in the medical community and has a true compassion for seniors. With a degree in Health Care Administration, he developed a background in a variety of health care services that only comes from first hand experience. While working as a manager of a large clinic and as an account executive for medical suppliers. Andy has built valuable relationships with the medical community.

His role in Love In Home Senior Care is to educate people on what care choice is the best fit for the senior and their family while attempting to make this decision as stress-free as possible for everyone involved.

This decision making process should be smooth and stress free for everyone, including all family members and their loved ones. Having access to people with experience (like the team at Love In Home Senior Care) to assist you along the way can help this process. With an extensive background in health care, Andy has the experience needed to guide and direct your loved one to the choice that is the best fit.