Transportation Options for Your Parents Who Cannot Drive
Worsening eyesight, arthritis pain, memory loss, and lessening flexibility are all reasons older adults start to have a harder time driving. If this happens, your parents need to stop driving. This can cause distress.
When an older adult is told to hand over the keys, they fear that means a loss of freedom. They’ll be trapped at home with no way to go out. That’s not the case. There are ways to make sure your parents get to go where they want as often as they want. Use these ideas to get started.
Plan Shopping Trips Together
Elder Care in Ada, MI: Seniors Who Can’t Drive
You do your weekly grocery shopping on a Saturday afternoon. You only live 10 minutes from your mom and dad. Why not get their groceries for them after they place an online order or bring them with you. You can shop together at the same time.
Not only is this convenient and saves you an extra trip to their house, but it also gives you a chance to pay attention to what they’re buying. If they stock up on canned soup, white bread, canned tuna, and mayo, you might want to find out what they do for fruits and vegetables, dairy, and whole grains.
Arrange Appointments in Succession
You have a doctor’s appointment on a certain day. Your mom sees a doctor in that practice. Schedule appointments at the same time so that you can drive her. Do the same with dentist appointments, if possible, hair cuts, eye exams, and flu shots.
Have Things Delivered
Save your parents a trip to a store by shopping online and having things delivered. With services like InstaCart and Amazon Prime, they could get some of their regular purchases brought to their front porch. They’d only have to carry the items inside.
There are also services that touch on some of the things they need most. If they live in an area where service is offered, there are box subscriptions for vegetables, fresh fruit, meats, and seafood. Everything is packed with frozen gel packs or dry ice to keep it frozen until it’s delivered.
Have Caregivers Drive Your Parents
The best way to make sure your parents get to go where they want is by arranging transportation services with an elder care agency. Caregivers can drive your mom and dad to stores. Caregivers can escort your parents to their medical and dental appointments. They can take your parents on scenic drives or drive them to friends’ homes.
As caregivers undergo background checks, drug tests, and training, you don’t have to worry about safety. The caregiver driving your parents is going to have a valid license and experience driving older adults around.
Call an elder care agency to arrange transportation services from caregivers. At the same time, address other areas where your parents will benefit from having help. They may find it’s handy to have elder care aides doing the laundry, helping with housework, sorting mail, and cooking meals.
If you or someone you know needs help with elder care in Ada, MI, contact Gauthier Family Home Care. We provide quality and affordable home care services in our community. Call us at (616) 258-2300 for more information.
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