In this Elder Law Minute, Wes Coulson gives alternative suggestions for approaching the “Taking Away the Keys” Conversation.
Transcript:
Greetings! I’m Wes Coulson from Dent Coulson Elder Law, and this will be your Elder Law minute. We’re happy to present these because we think we can help inform you, as to the ways in which we can help you, and the things that you need to think about, relative to the elder care and estate planning journey. Hope you enjoy!
When people have a family member who is at the point that they’re concerned whether they can safely drive anymore, tend to dread having that “taking away the keys” conversation, because it seems confrontational, if you’re telling somebody “you don’t have the mental capacity to drive anymore” people very understandably tend to bristle at that. Perhaps the better strategy is to look at other age-related reasons why somebody shouldn’t safely drive anymore. A big one there is diminished reflexes. You might see that car coming from the side, and you might in your mind know about it but if that message, reflex wise, doesn’t get from your brain down to your foot in time to hit the brake, you might be involved in a bad wreck. The Other thing is hearing loss. If there is an ambulance, a police car or other emergency vehicle arriving, are you going to be able to hear it? A Lot of people have trouble seeing at night, so if you’re ok to drive during the day but night vision is a problem, should you be driving at night.
So as a suggestion here, if you think in terms of those other reasons for restricting driving, you might get more quicker because people have an easier time of accepting that.
By the way, practical suggestions like this can be found in our Alzheimer’s Guide. If you’re interested, let us know. We’d be happy to send you a copy. Thanks.
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Dent-Coulson Elder Law is dedicated to providing families in the St. Louis area with their Elder Law needs. Our practice areas include Asset Preservation Planning, Veterans Benefits, Medicaid Eligibility, Alzheimer’s Planning, Special Needs Planning, Estate Planning and more. We understand the financial challenges you may face as you and your loved ones grow older. At Dent-Coulson Elder Law, our clients’ well-being is our number one priority. For immediate help, call (618) 632-7000 (IL) or (314) 567-9292 (MO), or Contact Us and we will get in touch as soon as possible.
