Helping the Elderly Manage the Outside World
The world can become a scary place for an elderly person. If you're a caregiver, these tips can help you help your loved one:
Know the route that Grandpa takes to his regular daytime activities.
Make sure Mom carries identification and your contact information with her whenever she's out of the house.
Check that your parent's or grandparent's car is well maintained. Check often for problems with windshield wipers, tires, and brakes.
Even those who drive safely by day may suffer night blindness, which is common among older adults. Ride along with your loved one periodically at different times of day to assess these skills.
AARP (formerly the American Association of Retired Persons) offers driver safety information. It's designed to help troubleshoot a lot of the problems older drivers develop, such as being blinded by bright headlights. One solution is getting your older parent special glare-reduction glasses.
Remove the distributor cap from Mom's car or take the keys if she shouldn't be driving but is being really stubborn about it. Loss of the ability to drive can be extremely upsetting for seniors -- many consider it to be the single most difficult change they face. Recognize this and work to set up practical transportation alternatives so Mom won't feel completely stranded.
Take the time to teach Dad necessary public transportation routes (to and from the senior center, for example). Accompany him the first few times to make sure he knows what to do in case there are glitches.
Great gift idea: a small change purse filled with a supply of transportation tokens or the correct change if your mother's using a senior discount pass.
Many individual organizations provide transportation to and from their facilities or meetings. Examples are hospital or senior center shuttles, or church or synagogue carpools. Make sure to look into these options if Mom needs a way to get to the doctor's office or to religious services.
If you add up the expense of owning a car -- paying for insurance, gas, and maintenance, plus tolls -- it might not come out to much more than your parent would spend if he hired a private car service, assuming he doesn't drive more than a few times a week.
Know the route that Grandpa takes to his regular daytime activities.
Make sure Mom carries identification and your contact information with her whenever she's out of the house.
Check that your parent's or grandparent's car is well maintained. Check often for problems with windshield wipers, tires, and brakes.
Even those who drive safely by day may suffer night blindness, which is common among older adults. Ride along with your loved one periodically at different times of day to assess these skills.
AARP (formerly the American Association of Retired Persons) offers driver safety information. It's designed to help troubleshoot a lot of the problems older drivers develop, such as being blinded by bright headlights. One solution is getting your older parent special glare-reduction glasses.
Remove the distributor cap from Mom's car or take the keys if she shouldn't be driving but is being really stubborn about it. Loss of the ability to drive can be extremely upsetting for seniors -- many consider it to be the single most difficult change they face. Recognize this and work to set up practical transportation alternatives so Mom won't feel completely stranded.
Take the time to teach Dad necessary public transportation routes (to and from the senior center, for example). Accompany him the first few times to make sure he knows what to do in case there are glitches.
Great gift idea: a small change purse filled with a supply of transportation tokens or the correct change if your mother's using a senior discount pass.
Many individual organizations provide transportation to and from their facilities or meetings. Examples are hospital or senior center shuttles, or church or synagogue carpools. Make sure to look into these options if Mom needs a way to get to the doctor's office or to religious services.
If you add up the expense of owning a car -- paying for insurance, gas, and maintenance, plus tolls -- it might not come out to much more than your parent would spend if he hired a private car service, assuming he doesn't drive more than a few times a week.