Things To Know When Assessing An Elderly Parent's Ability To Drive
Philadelphia (CBS) – Taking the keys away from your elderly parent, it's a moment everyone dreads no matter how necessary it is. But your family physician can help you through that process.
Temple University Assistant Professor of Medicine Dr. Duane Kirksey says it's a very emotional time:
"For the elderly, the ability to drive is more of an issue of independence then anything else. Taking the keys away is probably the number one thing that impairs people's independence."
But Dr. Kirksey says if you find yourself in this position, taking your loved one to the Doctor for an evaluation is a good start:
"Often times you can do assessments. So one of the big issues tends to be memory impairment; so testing people for their memory and concentration are basic things."
Also testing vision and muscle weakness followed by reflexes can be helpful. Dr. Kirksey says all physicians are required to notify the state if their patient suffers from a deficit that would cause a danger to others.
Reported By Michelle Durham, KYW Newsradio
