Driving is a complex activity that demands quick reactions alert senses and split-second decision making for a person with alzheimer alzheimer’s disease driving becomes increasingly…

Try: Driving is a complex activity that demands quick reactions alert senses and split-second decision making for a person with alzheimer alzheimer’s disease driving becomes increasingly difficult memory loss impaired judgment disorientation impaired visual and spatial perception slow reaction time certain medications diminished attention span and inability to recognize cues such as stop signs and traffic lights can make driving particularly hazardous people with alzheimer alzheimer’s who continue to drive can be a danger to themselves their passengers and the community at large as the disease progresses they lose driving skills and must stop driving unfortunately people with alzheimer alzheimer’s often cannot recognize when they should no longer drive this is a tremendous safety concern it is extremely important to have the impaired person person’s driving abilities carefully evaluated warning signs of unsafe driving often the caregiver or a family member neighbor or friend is the first to become aware of the safety hazards of someone with alzheimer alzheimer’s behind the wheel if a person with alzheimer alzheimer’s disease experiences one of more of the following problems it may be time to limit or stop driving does the person with alzheimer alzheimer’s get lost while driving in a familiar location fail to observe traffic signals drive at an inappropriate speed become angry frustrated or confused while driving make slow or poor decisions preventing unsafe driving explaining to the person with alzheimer alzheimer’s disease that he or she can no longer drive can be extremely difficult loss of driving privileges may represent a tremendous loss of independence freedom and identity it is a significant concern for the person with alzheimer alzheimer’s and the caregiver the issue of not driving may produce anger denial and grief in the person with alzheimer alzheimer’s as well as guilt and anxiety in the caregiver family and concerned professionals need to be both sensitive and firm above all they should be persistent and consistent the doctor of a person with alzheimer alzheimer’s disease can assist the family with the task of restricting driving talk with the doctor about your concerns most people will listen to their doctor ask the doctor to advise the person with alzheimer alzheimer’s to reduce his or her driving go for a driving evaluation or test or stop driving altogether an increasing number of states have laws requiring physicians to report alzheimer alzheimer’s and related disorders to the department of motor vehicles the department of motor vehicles then is responsible for retesting the at-risk driver testing should occur regularly at least yearly information references "home safety for people with alzheimer alzheimer’s disease" by u s department of health and human services 2010 available at

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Categories: Sage, Topic, Maintenance, Medical Physical, Vision, So-So Vision, Poor Vision, Hearing, So-So Hearing, Poor Hearing, Cognitive Awareness, Somewhat Aware, Unaware, Long-Term Memory, So-So L T Memory, Poor L T Memory, Short-Term Memory, So-So S T Memory, Poor S T Memory

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Keywords: Driving unsafe driving decision making memory loss cognitive impairment

*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed

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