What to Do if Your Aging Parent Refuses to Hand Over the Keys

What Can I Do if My Parent Insists on Driving?

Sometimes adult children are able to successfully convince their parents that it’s time to turn in the carkeys. This may happen in the aftermath of an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, a serious accident, or a family’s realization that an aging person is simply too old or cognitively impaired to safely operate a motor vehicle.

Talking to your aging parents about their driving tends to be challenging for all parties involved, and many older adults are resistant to the idea of giving up the freedom and independence they have as a driver. It can be even more challenging when an aging parent already poses a deadly threat to themselves and other people but refuses to give up the keys.

After assessing your parent’s ability to drive safely and determining that their safety depends on your forceful confiscation of their car keys, here is what you can do:

• Talk to your parent’s doctor and ask them to bring up safety and driving capability in their next appointment.
• Speak with your family’s lawyer and ask them to help you demonstrate the potential monetary impact it could have on the entire family if your parent continues to drive.
• Refer your parent to your local Department of Motor Vehicles and ask them to investigate your parent’s driving ability, which will likely include an eye exam and supervised driving test.

Be advised that forcefully taking away your parent’s right to drive can create a long-lasting rift in your relationship. Force should be a last resort.

When trying to persuade your parent to stop driving themselves, consider proposing alternative methods of transportation, such as bringing in a companion caregiver or private nurse. Offering alternatives can encourage your parent to relinquish their driving rights by assuring them that they will not be house-bound if they turn in the keys.

Call (877) 959-9093 Today for Help Caring for Your Aging Loved Ones

When you call At Home Healthcare for help, we can help you take care of your loved one’s basic needs, including transportation. We can help you make sure your family member never misses a doctor appointment, social gathering, or other important outing, and in doing so we hope to provide you with the space you need to fulfill your responsibilities and take care of yourself. We are able to serve people with varying degrees of dependence and mobility and fill in the gap in order to ensure they receive the care and attention they deserve.

We provide varying kinds of in-home care for families throughout Texas, including:

• Nursing
• Speech therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Physical therapy
• Rehabilitation
• Attendant services
• Private home services
• Personal care

Call (877) 959-9093 today or request care online to get started.