Is Driving Cessation a Risk Factor for Long-Term Care?
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Olivia has always enjoyed driving. She loves the wind in her hair as she drives on Main Street with the top down on her convertible, a retirement present she bought for herself. She enjoys the independence she feels when she gets behind the wheel and can go where ever she wants, whenever she wants.
Unfortunately, as she is approaching 80, her vision, hearing, and motor skills aren’t what they used to be, and her doctor told her she should no longer be driving. Olivia feels saddened by the impact this will have on her life. Independence means everything to her, and the thought of no longer being able to drive in a car-dependent area, such as the DC Metro area, is depressing.
Driving a car is a symbol of independence and competence and is closely tied to an individual’s identity. For seniors, similar to Olivia in our example, it also represents freedom and control and enables easy access to social connections, health care, shopping, volunteering, and activities.
Understandably, dealing with impaired older drivers is a delicate issue. This is especially true in areas such as the DC Metro area, which are car dependent. In the suburbs of DC, for the most part, seniors can’t simply switch to walking to the grocery store on the corner — because in car-dependent suburbs, there are no corner grocery stores (only supermarkets on busy, traffic-filled roads). Keeping the
current coronavirus pandemic in mind, a recent article in StreetsBlog discusses how car-dependent neighborhoods have made it “virtually impossible for seniors to age in place when they lose the ability to drive” and how many of these seniors must move into long-term care facilities sooner
rather than later. The article described also provides a very interesting history lesson about how assisted living facilities and nursing homes care to be.
First Responders and health care practitioners know how important it is to be prepared!
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