Your elderly loved one has been driving for your entire life. You remember her taking you to all of your soccer games, picking you up from the school dance (much to your embarrassment), and dropping you off for your first day of college. For many families, the car is not only a means of transportation, but it also contains a lifetime of memories that shape a family’s relationships.

Because of that, you probably know how hard it is to think about having that conversation with your elderly loved one that you’re concerned about their ability to navigate the roads safely anymore. While not all elderly people lose their ability to drive, there are certain signs that could point to either a complete withdrawal from driving with the help of senior transportation services, or allowing it only during certain times of the day.

Five Signs that Driving Has Become Dangerous for Your Loved One

1. She’s getting lost more often. If your loved one is struggling to remember how to get to familiar locations, then having her drive alone not only puts her in danger but also others as well. The confusion that is felt while becoming lost can distract her from urgent road concerns (like someone pulling out in front of her) or cause her to end up in locations that put her in danger.
2. Her car has more dings and dents than usual. Are you noticing scratches on the side of the car or a side mirror that seems to be knocked askew? Maybe her bumpers seem to have a few more dings than they did last month. Your loved one may be struggling with depth perception and having problems turning or parking, resulting in damage to her car and someone else’s.
3. Your loved one is making excuses to avoid driving. She may not want to say she’s uncomfortable driving, so instead, she simply turns down every invite that’ll keep her out after dark. Or she might claim she’s low on gas or doesn’t know the way in hopes that someone else will offer to drive her.
4. She makes frequent mistakes when you ride with her. Maybe she drove through a stop sign, went way over the speed limit, or neglected to pull over when an emergency vehicle drove by. Everyone makes mistakes once in a while, but if you’re finding that every drive results in multiple “whoops!”, she might need to relinquish her license.
5. She has physical limitations that could affect her driving. If your loved one has limited mobility in her back, she might not be able to twist and turn to see behind her when she changes lanes. If she has hearing loss, she might not be able to hear an emergency vehicle or another driver honking at her. Vision problems can make seeing in the dark or during inclement weather nearly impossible.

Finding Senior Transportation Support

If your loved one can no longer drive or if it needs to be limited, finding her safe senior transportation options is imperative so that she can still retain her independence. From public transportation options to a home care provider who helps her with her senior transportation needs, she’ll be much more inclined to step away from the wheel if you provide her with safe and reliable senior transportation options so she can still go where she needs to go and when.

If you or an aging loved one is considering Senior Transportation in Bonita, CA, please contact the caring staff at A Passion for Care today. Call (858) 798-5005

A Passion for Care is a Trusted Home Care Agency serving San Diego, La Jolla, Del Mar, Rancho Bernardo, Encinitas, Oceanside, Rancho Santa Fe, Point Loma, and surrounding areas.

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Pat Melzer

Owner at A Passion for Care

Like many people in the senior care business, founder Pat Melzer was motivated by personal experience to start an in-home senior service business in 2010. After watching chronic conditions, dementia, and surgeries take over the life of her once very intelligent and lively mother-in-law, Pat saw the enormity of the need for better in-home care. Drawing on her 23 years of experience in the computer industry as a software product manager, engineering manager and computer programmer, she decided to develop best practices to build an organization that provides truly excellent, personalized care. Throughout the company’s history, Pat has been personally and professionally committed to ensuring your loved one receives the quality care they deserve. With often heroic efforts by the staff and dedicated caregivers, the vision has become a reality to be very proud of.

Making the transition to a completely new industry brought the opportunity to learn and grow, which continues still today. Pat studied Gerontology in San Diego State University’s certificate program and became licensed as a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA), a Home Health Aide (HHA), and completed the California Certification Program for Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCCFE) as a Certified Administrator. She presented workshops at Aging in America Conference four years in a row and served as Chair of the San Diego Regional Home Care Council 2019-2020 and was the education board member for several years. More recently, Pat became a Certified Senior Advisor and was a San Diego Business Journal “50 over 50 2022 Women of Influence Honoree”.

Pat and her husband Roland have lived outside San Diego in the San Pasqual Valley for over three decades. She has two children who are grown professionals and three grandchildren. Pat enjoys traveling to, and visits from, family and friends throughout the year. While at home in San Pasqual Valley, she and Roland enjoy peaceful views and exploring the surrounding valleys.

Latest posts by Pat Melzer (see all)

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