Friday, January 14, 2011

Title - My Father-In-Law Quit Driving!

Yeah!  He got lost driving back from the grocery store, which was 5 blocks from his house.  Thankfully he had enough sense to say, “That’s it” and parked his car, arranged for the sale and pocketed the money.  He put the car sale money in a separate account that he uses to pay for cab fare when he wants to go somewhere that he can’t ride his bike, take a bus or walk.  

We were lucky.  It is hard for seniors to give up their driver’s license.  It means they lose their personal independence and is an overt sign that they are aging.

We have an “Agreement With My Family About Driving”  [click here for the form] that can start the discussion with the elder about when to stop driving. 

If it is dangerous for a senior to continue to drive, and they refuse to stop, there are some steps that can be taken. 

• Ask the doctor to evaluate the senior at their next appointment.
• Have the senior take a driver’s test to see if they pass. 
• Dismantle the car so it is not operable.

What a tough decision this is for many families, but it is good to know the right time to stop driving.  I’ve had seniors tell me, no problem they will just kill themselves if they have a car accident.  I tell them fine, just make sure they do it right and are not seriously injured.  More importantly I remind them they could harm someone else, which is not part of their plan.

Go to our website, or click on the link above and down load our form “Drivers Agreement.”


P.S. If you need help with your estate plan contact us through our website (www.graham-lawoffice.com) or call 208-344-0375.