Elderly Driving

G

Gemtun

Guest
Recently I got off on the phone with my Nana. She told me that Papa refuse to see a doctor to inquire whether he has Alzheimers or not. Papa is afraid that the doctor will order him not to drive and give up his driving privileges. Thus, he refuses to go to his doctor.

Papa drives to his businesses 2 to 4 hours away twice a week to check on his properties. He is constantly on Los Angeles freeways. For these who live or visit LA, they will agree with me that these freeways are horrendous.

He has been getting disoriented lately, especially on Interstate 10. I am afraid that he will never return home or crash into another car, etc.

Is there a program out there where people call to report in about elderly driving?? I recall a story about a man crashing into a store somewhere in Santa Monica once, killing a few. I hear many stories like that.

I am in dilemma on whether to research if there is a such law or program that people call in to report this? I want to protect Papa and other people but I dont want Papa to get angry at me.

Your 2 cents on this?
 
For sake of his safety (and others), I would recommend you to research on law, program and such to report or put a stop on it. Even though he may will mad at you for it but in the end, he probably will understand why you did that. Key: Probability.

My mom and her siblings had to do that as well when my grandmother's condition got worse. They (my mom and her siblings) had to use the lawyer to block her from driving her truck.
 
*tossing two pennies onto table*

Oh, let's see...

Mmmm. It is good of you, Meggers, to be concerned for your Papa. I do think that he needs to be seen by a doctor. He is elderly, as you said, and motor skills are one of the first things to go when age begins to take its toll on somone. Your concerns are completely valid. Perhaps Nana should take the keys and put her foot down on this one. ESPECIALLY if he is disoriented on the interstate.

He may be mad, Meg...he may very well be FURIOUS. However, it is better than chancing his getting hurt or accidentally hurting someone else on the road.

Do as much research as you can, girl. I wish ya all the best of luck on this. We gotta keep our families safe, right?? :)
 
Meg said:
Recently I got off on the phone with my Nana. She told me that Papa refuse to see a doctor to inquire whether he has Alzheimers or not. Papa is afraid that the doctor will order him not to drive and give up his driving privileges. Thus, he refuses to go to his doctor.

Papa drives to his businesses 2 to 4 hours away twice a week to check on his properties. He is constantly on Los Angeles freeways. For these who live or visit LA, they will agree with me that these freeways are horrendous.

He has been getting disoriented lately, especially on Interstate 10. I am afraid that he will never return home or crash into another car, etc.

Is there a program out there where people call to report in about elderly driving?? I recall a story about a man crashing into a store somewhere in Santa Monica once, killing a few. I hear many stories like that.

I am in dilemma on whether to research if there is a such law or program that people call in to report this? I want to protect Papa and other people but I dont want Papa to get angry at me.

Your 2 cents on this?
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i know how it is.. they FRET when they hear that they have to give up driving which is a MAJOR PART OF THEIR INDEPENDENCY most of their life.. so i guess you can heed magapoo's advice..
 
Heres an interesting topic,Old people should not drive when theyre 65.If i ever hit the lotto i will be the first deaf senator to run for office. And i will introduce a bill that if youre 65 you cant drive. When youre 65 you must retire from driving unless youre still employed. I will propose small towns communites to create a senior ride. Its a bus will pick you up and take you where you wanna go and pick you up. It will cost you $2 one way.
 
ravensteve1961 said:
Heres an interesting topic,Old people should not drive when theyre 65.If i ever hit the lotto i will be the first deaf senator to run for office. And i will intoduce a bill that if youre 65 you cant drive. When youre 65 you must retire from driving unless youre still employed. I will propose small towns communites to create a senior ride. Its a bus will pick you up and take you where you wanna go and pick you up. It wil cost you $2 one way.
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are you kidding me!?
my parents are 66 and 71.. and are CAPABLE OF DRIVING!! sheesh!! thank god we don't have you for a senator or anything like that!! :barf:

my aunt and grandmother stopped driving when they were around 75 due to dr orders.. sheesh!! i know some who can drive and they are like 85.. or so..
 
Did you watch 60 minutes about an elderly man whos 77 years old and ran over a bench full of people waiting at the bus stop? Thats why i say 65 you cant drive.
 
It is an extremely rare occasion that I agree with Steve, but on this one, I do. I think that in most states a person has to have a physical and take a driving test to see to it they are fit to drive. Here in FL, if you're 65 or older, you have to have a doctor certify that you are fit to be behind the wheel. This seems to fair to me, but it's also not enough. We have a lot of elderly drivers in this state, and not a week goes by where something is in the news about an elderly driver who caused an accident due to a poor judgment call on his or her part.

So, I guess...I don't know, but I believe something has to give. Otherwise, someone is gonna end up dead. I really think that once you hit a certain age, you're licence needs to be revoked. I don't think it should be 65, but I wouldn't mind seeing something to this affect for someone 75 or older.
 
Have you tried having a talk with him? Have you tried talking to his doctor?
 
ravensteve1961 said:
Did you watch 60 minutes about an elderly man whos 77 years old and ran over a bench full of people waiting at the bus stop? Thats why i say 65 you cant drive.
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ok then i can't wait til the day you give up your licenses when you are 65.. then come and TELL US WHAT A GREAT EXPERIENCE IT WAS!? giving up your FREEDOM AND INDEPENDENCY and how great you feel!!

how's that?? and .... tsk tsk... you got 22 more years to go.. :D
 
Oceanbreeze said:
So, I guess...I don't know, but I believe something has to give. Otherwise, someone is gonna end up dead. I really think that once you hit a certain age, you're licence needs to be revoked. I don't think it should be 65, but I wouldn't mind seeing something to this affect for someone 75 or older.
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I disagree, a person above 65 should be tested every year to ensure that the driver is still capable of driving.
 
A lot of states require every person to pass a simple depth perception/hand-eye coodination test every time they renew their license (2-4 years). Canada, I understand from my friends there, is quick to pull a license when you have some sort of disability that affects your driving ability. My own mother is 76 and still drives herself, though she will no longer drive at night. It is usually up to the person's family to decide when driving is no longer safe for their senior. Driving IS an important part of their sense of independence. Sometimes it is up to a judge to order a medical evaluation and decide whether to revoke driving priviledges. Lawdy, L.A. is tough enough to drive in when you are in your prime!
 
Umm Brezze,, Theyre loopholes around that. Theyre some people are a friend to a doctor and will sign it no matter what.Like i have a doctor who signed a form for me to get a handicapped permit because i was HOH at the time and when you wear a hearing aid youre leagaly handicapped that was my loophole around getting those parking spaces. And getting back to the elderly driving if the person runs over somebody you cant sue the doctor you can only sue the driver and he doesnt have much except his social secuirty check. In My law 65 means 65! You cant lie and say im 64 because your social secuirty number will tell you youre 65.
 
Banjo said:
I disagree, a person above 65 should be tested every year to ensure that the driver is still capable of driving.
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That is already on the books here in FL, but it's not enough. There's still elderly folks on the road that shouldn't be. So, something needs to be done. I don't think it's unreasonable to have a law that prohibits the advanced elderly from driving.

Just my two cents worth.
 
ravensteve1961 said:
Umm Brezze,, Theyre loopholes around that. Theyre some people are a friend to a doctor and will sign it no matter what.Like i have a doctor who signed a form for me to get a handicapped permit because i was HOH at the time and when you wear a hearing aid youre leagaly handicapped that was my loophole around getting those parking spaces. And getting back to the elderly driving if the person runs over somebody you cant sue the doctor you can only sue the driver and he doesnt have much except his social secuirty check. In My law 65 means 65! You cant lie and say im 64 because your social secuirty number will tell you youre 65.
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Whatever, Steve. I think you are deluding yourself into thinking you'd become senator, anyway. :rofl:

Don't get excited and think I agree with you wholeheartedly. I don't. I think your ideas are extreme, and I would not go that far. I don't think you should yank someone's licence just for the fun of it. There needs to be cause to do so. All I am saying is, there needs to be more than a law on the books stating that at 65, one must go and be recertified. That's all.

What happens isn't up to me (thank god), and it's not up to, either. (again, thank God).
 
Interesting! Statisticly, young drivers are involved in many more times the wrecks than older folks. Maybe we should raise the minimum driving age too? (STIR, STIR, STIR!)
 
Breeze explan why airline pilots are forced to retire at age 60? And Train Conductors are forced to retire at age 55? And Cruise ship captains forced to retire at age 60 also? Thats not fair ether right? But its company policy right? So cant the US goverment tell the company you cant do that thats age discrimination?
 
Codger said:
Interesting! Statisticly, young drivers are involved in many more times the wrecks than older folks. Maybe we should raise the minimum driving age too? (STIR, STIR, STIR!)
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I agree!! I think when you turn 21 you can drive. If youre old enough to drink beer,Buy adult porn magazines and own a gun then you can drive too.
 
ravensteve1961 said:
I agree!! I think when you turn 21 you can drive. If youre old enough to drink beer,Buy adult porn magazines and own a gun then you can drive too.
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I own a gun. I've owned it since I was 15 years old. I owned a different gun before that since I was 12 years old. You don't see me running around like some maniac... do you? ;)
 
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