Senior Care in Robbinsville NJ

The decision to encourage your elderly loved one to stop driving is a difficult one both for you and for your elderly loved one. There are some little things you can do, however, to make it easier.

Listen to Her

Depending on the situation, it might take some convincing to have your elderly loved one finally accept that driving may be dangerous for her. That’s not a situation which is likely to be easy for her, however. Make sure that you genuinely listen to your loved one’s concerns so that you can take care of them for her. She may worry about her safety or getting to her appointments on time, but unless you’re really able to listen, you won’t know what’s concerning her the most.

Give Her a Variety of Transportation Options

Especially in the beginning, your elderly loved one might need quite a few options for transportation. This may not be because she has to be on the go constantly. Instead it can be more of a psychological impact. Suddenly not being able to drive may make your loved one feel trapped, so having as many options available as possible can be soothing.

Stay on Top of Her Schedule

It’s always a good idea to have a solid handle on your loved one’s schedule, but when she’s no longer able to drive herself, you may well become her transportation manager. Even if you’re not the one who will be transporting her, it pays for you to know how she’s getting from Point A to Point B.

Adjust as Your Loved One’s Needs Change

Sometimes the situation or your loved one’s needs might even dictate the transportation method that is best for a particular outing. If your loved one needs to start using a walker, for example, the public transportation that worked well before may be too difficult now. Your loved one may feel far more comfortable with a senior care provider who knows how to set up and take down the walker for easy storage during the trip. Keep tabs on how well each transportation method works for her so that you can add and remove options as they suit her needs.

Let your elderly loved one know that you’re there for her even when she’s feeling vulnerable because she’s no longer driving herself any longer.

If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring senior care in Robbinsville, NJ or the surrounding areas, please call Independence Home Care today at 609-208-1111 for more information.