If you and your aging family member have disagreed about whether she should stop driving or not, it might be time to talk about what she gains by no longer being in the driver’s seat. She’s really not giving up her independence or losing much of anything else, either, even though it might feel that way at first. Looking a little more closely at the benefits of being a passenger can be liberating for her.

Not Driving Can Be Less Expensive

It’s amazingly expensive to drive, especially if your elderly family member is dealing with higher insurance rates or if she’s been getting tickets for driving errors. Then you have to factor in the costs of keeping a vehicle road worthy as well. In the long run, it can be much more cost effective for your elderly family member to stop driving.

She Doesn’t Have to Stress out about Driving

It can be incredibly stressful for your senior to drive, especially if she’s dealing with health challenges that are making driving more difficult. One of the best things about giving up driving is that she doesn’t have to experience that specific stress any longer. Other people can take over the driving and she can relax instead.

You Might Find it’s Easier to Relax, Too

When your elderly family member is no longer in the driver’s seat, that can be a huge relief for you as well. It’s just as stressful for you to worry that she might end up in an accident or lost somewhere and have to wait for help as it is for her. Handing those keys over to someone else gives you a chance to take a deep breath.

Transportation Doesn’t Have to Be a Problem

The most important benefit is that your senior can have all of these results and transportation still doesn’t have to be an issue. She doesn’t have to stay at home simply because she doesn’t drive any longer. Handing over the driving duties to elder care providers offers your senior even more benefits, because they can help her with so much more besides driving, too.

It’s hard to see benefits to a perceived loss, which is what happens when your elderly family member faces no longer driving. This can truly be a fantastic decision for her, but she may need to take a little bit of time to see that for herself.

If you or an aging loved one is considering elder care in Eagan, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.