Driving is a practical skill, but it also represents some concepts, especially for seniors. Lots of seniors look at driving as a symbol of freedom, independence, and the opportunity to stay active. But changes in overall health, vision, and even cognitive function can mean that seniors may need to give up driving for their own safety. Home care services can take over the task of driving, keeping seniors safe and ensuring they can still get out and about.
Understanding Senior Driving Challenges
Various factors make it tough for seniors to keep driving for as long as they want to. They might experience reduced strength, diminished coordination, and more that makes driving physically difficult. Reaction times are often longer than they used to be, and when combined with vision changes, seniors may not be as safe as they need to be on the road. Cognitive changes also can keep seniors out of the driver’s seat.
Assessing Driving Abilities
It’s important to assess driving abilities for seniors before telling them they simply can’t drive any longer. Driving evaluations are available, giving seniors an objective third party to accurately assess safety behind the wheel. The skills necessary for safe driving can change quickly, so periodically revisiting these abilities is important.
Exploring Alternatives to Driving
Seniors can get out and about safely without having to be the ones doing the driving. Elder care providers are an excellent option because they can help seniors not only with transportation, but with a variety of other needs, too. Elderly care providers ensure that seniors are safe while they’re out and about, too, especially if they need extra help with mobility devices.
Promoting Social Engagement and Overall Well-being
Often seniors equate being able to drive with maintaining their social lives. There’s a lot of truth to that because when seniors are spending time away from home they’re often engaging with other people. Home care providers offer help with driving and with staying mobile, but they also help seniors to get more social engagement throughout the day, helping to improve overall well-being.
Empowering Seniors as They Age in Place
One reason seniors might cling to driving, even if it’s not as safe as it could be for them to engage in, is because they want to remain independent and continue to age in place. The good news is that with the help of home care services, aging adults can let someone else do the driving and still continue to age in place. Having help doesn’t mean that they lose independence. Instead, it helps seniors to be empowered as they age in place.
Driving safely may no longer be possible for seniors, but that doesn’t mean that they have to stay at home alone. Home care providers can do the driving, keeping seniors from having to worry about handling that themselves. In addition, seniors get social and other benefits from having home care providers there to help them. All of this helps aging adults to keep living their lives on their own terms for as long as possible.
IF YOU OR AN AGING LOVED ONE IS CONSIDERING HIRING HOME CARE IN SAN JOSE, CA, PLEASE CONTACT THE CARING STAFF AT HOME HELPERS TODAY. (408) 317-4969
