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Elder
CareTips:
Mastering The Eldercare Maze™
March 1, 2005
Our last newsletter on the topic of
Taking The Keys Away struck a chord with some of our
readers. This is often an especially heartrending event,
because it signals the end of a lifetime of independence and
self-sufficiency for an older person.
According to the National Center for Health Statistics,
motor vehicle injuries are the leading cause of
injury-related deaths among 65- to 74-year olds. The
National Highway Safety Administration says that, based on
miles driven, the fatality rate for drivers 85 and older is
9 times higher than the rate for drivers 25 to 69 years old.
So, if it must be done, take heart in the fact that a lot of
caregivers have had to say "it's time to stop driving." None
of them found it easy.
Several people have contributed ideas:
| Molly, thanks for your emails - I
read all of them. I have a
little input on how my Dad dealt with my Mom and her
inability to drive - he had the Dr. write a prescription
- and he put it on the refrigerator - (good idea to get
more than one because they mysteriously disappear) that
said -
"Mrs.___________ MAY NOT DRIVE." Then
when she was sleeping he got her keys and filed them
down a bit so they would not turn the car on - so this
way she got to keep her keys and her dignity. Of course,
we still had to deal with the "why can't I drive"
constant questioning. Hope this helps someone - I know
it would make my Dad Jerry proud!
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| Even after he had his license taken
away my father-in-law
refused to stop driving. We disconnected the battery and
he re-connected it. I left the lights on all night and
ran it down, and he called the Triple A. That's when I
put a Club on the wheel. I wrote my phone number on it.
He called the AAA again. When they saw the number they
called and I explained. They told him they didn't have
the right tool to get the Club off. The car is still
sitting in the driveway with the Club.
|
Even if your elder isn't driving any more, he
or she will still need some form of picture I.D. - for
writing checks, getting a new library card - who knows? Be
sure to offer help with getting a non-driver state photo ID
card. Call your local driver's license office to get
information on what you need to bring before you go.
A Cherokee elder was teaching his grandchildren about
life:
"A fight is going on inside me --a terrible fight
between two wolves. One wolf is fear, anger, envy,
greed, arrogance, self-pity, resentment, and everything
bad. The other wolf is joy, peace, love, hope, kindness,
truth, and everything good. This same fight goes on
inside of you and every other
person."
They thought for a moment, then one child asked, "Which
wolf will win?"
The old man answered: "The one I feed."
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How To Get A Card From The President
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Regardless of party affiliation, one of the
most treasured items in many families is the birthday or
anniversary greeting a parent or grandparent received from
the President of the United States. I've seen a 50th
Anniversary Greeting from President Clinton proudly framed
and displayed in the home of a pair of die-hard Republicans.
Neither one of them would have voted for a Democrat if their
very lives depended on it, yet they were proud to display
their Greeting from their President. A certain older
Democrat poo-poohs the very idea, yet keeps his birthday
card from the president casually out on a table where it's
certain to be seen by every visitor.
These birthday and anniversary greetings mean a lot to the
people who receive them. Not everyone is lucky enough to
qualify, so they are special.
If you'd like to see that someone you love gets one in time
for an important birthday or anniversary, you need to start
early.
Read The Rest...
| A positive attitude may not
solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people
to make it worth the effort.
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Use contrasting colors to help aging eyes see
changes where they walk. A bright stripe of paint on the
edges of steps makes them easier to see. Remember the step
down into the garage, or outside on the sidewalk.
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