FROM THE EDITOR'S PEN
/ No Debate About It /
Editorial List
The 118th Fearless Caregiver
Conference was held yesterday in Fort Lauderdale,
where the very first event was held in 1997 with
actor Robert Urich as keynote speaker. There were
conversations about many topics, including one of
the most debated issues (see, how timely I can be,
since last night was the Presidential debates) when
it comes to our loved one's independence – driving.
In fact, as usual, I always try and save the driving
questions for the last 25 minutes of the morning Q&A
session because once that Pandora’s Box is opened,
no other topic gets any airtime.
Regardless of the final outcome of
the presidential debates for the 2012 election
season, there is most likely a raging debate going
on at your house if you think it is time for your
loved ones to hang up the keys and they do not also
think so.
We have heard some really
ingenious methods that caregivers employ when faced
with the driving issue at the Fearless Caregiver
Conferences over these past 15 years; among them:
Don’t make your decision solely on
age-based concerns. A driver’s age is not reason
enough to revoke their license.
Find out what the laws in your
state allow in these instances; sometimes you can
make an anonymous call and the driver’s bureau will
call your loved one in for retesting.
Enlist your loved one’s doctor or
the local police department. This news is always
better coming from the professionals.
Give them a set of non-working car
keys and always offer to drive.
Once agreement is made about
driving, put a large note in the windshield
reminding your loved one that they agreed not to
drive.
Sell their car; although people in
more than one city have reported that their loved
one simply bought a new one.
