Life on the Corner of a Wish and a Prayer

That’s basically what I answered my son last night when he ask me if he could drive home. His qualification to drive… he’s a graduate of Driver’s Ed. YEAH!  Now I’ve put him behind the wheel in parking lots and such and Driver’s Ed did give him several days of road time but last night it was dark, we were in a hurry and I told him I’m was in my state of denial where there are no teenagers...

It’s Older Driver Safety Awareness Week: Take Time for the Talk

In support of Older Driver Safety Awareness Week, AAA encourages advance planning to keep senior drivers safe and mobile as they age Many seniors and their families will at some point struggle with a difficult decision about an older adult’s driving ability. Is it safe for them to continue driving? Are there tools to help them be safer? How do we know when it’s time to hang up the keys? What...

We’re Reluctant, But They’re Willing

Baby Boomers have a difficult time speaking to their parents about when to limit or stop driving, yet most seniors are open to talking about the increased safety risks they face on the road as they age, according to a national survey by Liberty Mutual Insurance. A number of recent news stories about serious car accidents involving senior drivers have brought prominence to this issue. These incidents underscore...

She Shouldn’t Be Driving

Dear Denise, My husband’s parents still live by themselves–he is in very bad health and we believe she has Alzheimer’s. She will not go to a doctor. I have made her appointments with a neurologist and two of her doctors have made her appointments and she refuses to go. So we can only guess this is what she has. My problem is how do we decide she is a danger to herself or her husband because she...

Does the Paid Caregiver Need a Commercial License?

Dear Denise, I have been told by my dad’s insurance that his caregiver (who is paid) has to have a commercial license from DMV to drive my dad’s car and drive my dad around. One person at insurance never mentioned it, another did. I am getting conflicting info and they are saying that the caregiver should have a commercial license to drive his own car for my dad’s needs? Hi, I have worked as a...

We Need to Talk…

The Hartford Financial Services Group and the MIT AgeLab created a guide to help families worried about an aging parent’s ability to drive safely. The guide, We Need to Talk:  Family Conversations with Older Drivers, is based on a study of older drivers’ attitudes and driving habits. It offers families practical information to help them advise their loved ones on whether it is time to limit or even give up...