To Drive or Not to Drive

According to the 2012 U.S. Census

 

• 43.1 Americans are age 65 and over

 

• 36 million Americans have at least one disability, accounting for 12% of the population

 

• 6.5 million Americans have vision difficulties

 

• 19.4 million have problems walking or climbing stairs.

 

• Another 13.5 million have difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions

 

All of the above have the potential to impact our quality of life, as well as our ability to safely drive.

 

 

Being able to drive gives a person a feeling of independence and freedom. It means being able to go wherever, whenever and with whomever we want. There are relatively few restrictions and no one is able to control our destiny.

 

Because we associate driving with freedom and independence, for seniors and people with special needs, having a driver’s license taken away because of cognitive, medical or physical limitations can be distressing. There is a point, however, at which people can no longer safely drive - when getting behind the wheel puts both the driver and other people on the road in danger.

 

 

Warning Signs there May be a Problem

 

When someone is becoming an unsafe driver, the warning signs often come gradually. At first, people may not notice warning signs, or may attribute them to something else. Eventually, however, the signs become so pervasive that they are hard to ignore. Or, perhaps, there is a crisis - such as a serious accident - that forces everyone to take notice.

 

 

Here are some warning signs to be alert to:

 

• More than one at-fault accident in a year

 

• Getting lost or easily confused

 

• Unexplained scratches or dents in the car

 

• Tickets for unsafe driving

 

• Inability to read road signs

 

• Inability to hear horns, sirens or other sounds

 

• Medical treatment for cataracts, ear problems, etc.

 

Source: Parlay International

 

 

What to Do

 

Often, family members or friends are put in the position of watching a loved one’s driving ability decline, without knowing what to do. Mentioning it to the person might have just the opposite of the intended effect - making the loved one defensive, angry or embarrassed; and insisting that they can drive just fine.

 

Some states have laws that require senior and people with special needs to retake the driving test after a certain age or diagnosis to check for vision, reaction time, and assessment abilities.

 

Some experts suggest, the best thing to do is ask a doctor or therapist to give a patient a “no more driving” prescription. Hearing the bad news from a professional, rather than a family member, can make the senior more amenable to taking the advice. Taking the driver to get a driver’s test may also do the trick; the objective standards of the test are impossible to dispute. Though getting the person’s license taken away seems drastic, sometimes it is the only way.

 

 

Obtaining a Driver Evaluation

 

It’s very common for a person to say that they won’t stop driving because it will be the end of their freedom and independence.  In the meantime, the person continues to drive putting themselves and others at risk.

 

I often get a frantic phone call from a physician and family member, telling me they don’t know what to do, because they fear a patient or loved one is no longer able to drive.  Meanwhile the senior or person with special heeds is saying “You’ll take my care away over my dead body”. A conflict often ensues.

 

The way that I work with my clients is to suggest that the senior or person with special needs receives a driver evaluation, to determine if in fact the person is safe to drive.  I suggest we keep an open mind, and see what the professionals say.

 

I have had a number of clients agree to willingly undergo a driver evaluation.

 

 

A typical evaluation consists of two parts.

 

Part 1

 

An Occupational Therapy (OT) Evaluation is conducted, checking a client’s vision, perception, cognitive, reactions, etc.  If the OT feels the client passed, the client is referred on to a driving school for a driving road test.  A copy of the OT’s evaluation is provided to the driving school.

 

 

Part 2

 

This phase involves a 30 – 60 minute road test with a driving instructor.  The results of the road test evaluation is provided to the OT, who in turn passes the all the results and recommendations on to the client’s doctor.

 

Results of the evaluation are not provided to motor vehicles.

 

If a client fails the test and it is recommended that the person stop driving, counseling is made available to help the client accept the situation, and to help design a viable plan moving forward.

 

 

I had a client Mr. B who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease and Mr. B often spoke about being torn whether “To Drive or Not to Drive”.  I suggested that Mr. B undergo a driver evaluation, which he eagerly accepted. 

 

Mr. B passed the driver evaluation, but based on his experience with the evaluation, Mr. B told me that he felt his driving wasn’t up to par. 

 

As a result, Mr. B voluntarily choose to stop driving. Mr. B said it was a lot easier to make the decision to stop driving based on measurable facts, rather than being told you need to stop driving.

 

 

What if You Can No Longer Drive

  

Transit Bus Services

 

If you live in CT, bus services are provided by CT Transit.

 

According to the CT Department of Transportation:

 

“All CT TRANSIT buses have wheelchair lifts or ramps for access by persons with disabilities. Also, the bus can "kneel" to lower the first step height. Please ask the operator to kneel the bus to assist you in boarding or alighting“.

 

“Most types of mobility devices (wheelchairs, 3-wheel scooters, and walkers) can be accommodated on the buses. Each bus has a system for securing wheelchairs near the front of the bus. CTTRANSIT safety policy requires a 4-point securement for all mobility devices. Use of the lap belt is recommended for the customer´s maximum safety.”

 

“Non-wheelchair, mobility impaired passengers may also use the lift or ramp to board the bus.”

 

 

The Kennedy Center Travel Training

 

“The Kennedy Center Travel Training” is a nationally acclaimed program that teaches people with disabilities and seniors how to properly and safely use the local bus and rail system on a one-to-one basis throughout the state of CT.

 

Since 1991, The Kennedy Center has successfully travel trained more than 3,000 people with cognitive, sensory, and physical disabilities, aged 16-95, to use local buses and trains to access the community. There is no charge for travel training, the program is grant funded by The Connecticut Department of Transportation.”

 

 

For more information contact:

 

The Kennedy Center

2440 Reservoir Avenue

Trumbull, CT 06611

(203) 365-8522

 

 

Para-transit Service (Door to Door)

 

If a person has a disability that prevents them from being able to ride a CT Transit bus, they may be eligible for para-transit transportation services under the Federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

 

 

Darien, Stamford & Norwalk CT Area

 

In the Darien, Stamford and Norwalk area, the para-transit program is called “Easy Access”, and The State of Connecticut Department of Transportation contracts with the Norwalk Transit District to provide services.

 

Eligibility Process:

 

In order to use this door-to-door service, a person must first complete an ADA Eligibility Certification.

 

 

For more information contact:

 

Norwalk Transit District

275 Wilson Avenue

Norwalk, Connecticut 06854

(203) 299-5180 (Voice)

(203) 299-5183 (TDD)

 

 

Greenwich CT

 

In the Greenwich area, the para-transit services is “EZ Accees” and the State of Connecticut Department of Transportation contracts with the Transportation Association of Greenwich (TAG) to provide the services.

 

EZ ACCESS is a door-to-door transportation service available to anyone who is disabled and

unable to use the public bus service. All users must be certified eligible to use this service.

 

 

For more information contact:

 

EZ ACCESS

Transportation Association of Greenwich (TAG)

13 Riverside Avenue

Riverside, CT 06878

203-637-4345 Mon.-Sat., 6:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

 

 

Westchester County NY

 

According to Westchester.gov:

 

“In Westchester County NY, para-transit services are provided by Beeline Bus.”

 

“Bee-Line ParaTransit is a shared ride service for which reservations must be made from one to seven days in advance.”

 

“Since it is an Origin-to-Destination and curb-to-curb service, the ParaTransit vehicles do not go into driveways or parking lots.”

 

“ParaTransit does not provide service to any area outside of Westchester County.”

 

 

For more information contact:

 

Westchester County

Office for the Disabled

148 Martine Avenue

Room 102

White Plains, NY 10601

(914) 995-2957

(914) 995-7397 TTY

 

 

It’s important that seniors, people with special needs and their families sit down and talk about issues and concerns as they arise.  Together they can explore how to best handle the situation. 

 

No one likes to be dictated to, threatened or made to feel inadequate.  If a conversation is difficult due to a strained relationship or uncertainty about what to say, you can always ask a doctor, certified case manager or counselor, to help facilitate the conversation.

 

 

The Caregiver Resource Center

 

The Caregiver Resource Center assists seniors, people with special needs and their families in planning for and implementing ways to allow for the greatest degree of independence, safety and quality of life.

 

We are available 7 days a week by appointment, and 24/7 for emergencies. All of our services are individually designed to meet the unique needs of the client and their family.

 

For more information, or to request an initial consultation, please contact:

 

Linda Ziac, LPC, LADC, BCPC, CEAP, CCM, CDP

The Caregiver Resource Center

Greenwich, CT

203-861-9833

www.CaregiverResourceCenter.com

 

 

Disclaimer

 

The information in this article is provided as an information resource only, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. This information is not intended to be patient education, does not create any patient provider relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment.

 

Please consult your health care provider for an appointment, before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition.

 

 

 

To learn more about health and mental topics and to become a more educated self advocate, please subscribe to this blog or visit us at www.CaregiverResourceCenter.com