Alzheimer's disease: Driving

A means of transportation is an essential ingredient in maintaining independence. It is especially important as people grow older. Transportation allows them to run errands, go to doctor's appointments, and socialize with family and friends. However, there will come a time when your loved one's driving skills will decline due to age, disability, or both. Once this occurs, it is important to assess whether or not it is still safe for your loved one to drive. Some warning signs of a possible decline in driving skills include:
A series of close calls, collisions, or driving violations, even if they are minor
Braking harder than normal for stoplights and stop signs, running over curbs, or running through stop signs
Difficulty seeing things on the road
Difficulty maintaining the car in the center of the lane
Trouble turning his or her head before changing lanes
Trouble adjusting to the oncoming glare of headlights
Increased frustration, anger, or anxiety when driving
Becoming confused in simple driving situations or lost in familiar areas
Failure to use turn signals or mirrors
Hitting the brakes instead of the accelerator or vice versa
Increased confrontation with other drivers
If you notice some of the above declines in driving skills in your loved one, this does not mean the car must be taken from him or her immediately. The first step a caregiver must take with the patient is to talk about the signs of possible decline that are of concern. During this talk, the caregiver can make suggestions such as encouraging his or her loved one to avoid driving at night, during rush hour, or when weather makes the roads slick. Another approach can be recommending a medical and/or eye exam to see if any of the above signs can be corrected.
Research suggests that even mild Alzheimer's disease is associated with an increased risk of accidents. It is important to check with your state's Department of Motor Vehicles to find out the procedure for evaluating the patient's driving ability. Many areas will perform a thorough "driver safety evaluation" to determine whether it is safe for the person to continue driving. If there is any impairment noted in visual or spatial abilities or judgment, the person with Alzheimer's disease should not be driving.
If the caregiver determines that a loved one should no longer be driving, alternate means of transportation should be sought. Often this means that the caregiver must provide transportation. However, it is not always possible or practical to provide transportation when needed.

With the rapid aging of the population, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is intensifying the search for strategies to preserve brain health as people grow older. The effort moved an important step forward today with a report by an expert panel to the NIH, suggesting a number of promising avenues for maintaining or enhancing cognitive and emotional function. Click link to read more.
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