How Can I Get My Father To Give Up His Car Keys?

If you have an aging loved one, sooner or later you're going to be pondering this question. It's a question all of us dread asking - and being asked - because it's a direct threat to the independence of any senior.


But - like it or not - there will come a time when it can't be put off any longer.

If your loved one has a trusting relationship with his physician, he may feel less threatened if the subject is brought up by the doctor rather than a caregiver. The physician can focus on the medical condition(s) affecting the ability to drive safely. Coming from an objective person, the advice may be a bit easier for the senior to listen to... and to hear. (Or, on the other hand... it may not!)

But, at the least, hearing it from a doctor rather than a caregiver may cut some of the emotion out of the equation.

You might want to speak with other caregivers who've been in the same position, to get a handle on how they did it. No two seniors, of course, will respond in the same way. So, what worked for one may not work for someone else. Nonetheless, it can't hurt to get a few different perspectives.

The Alzheimer's Association is a good source for information about how to approach this situation; local agencies such as your Area Agency on Aging may also be able to help. And if you're really desperate, you can purchase items to disable a car engine, from sites such as www.alzstore.com.

Getting your loved off the road can be a very daunting - and very depressing - task. But we can help.

At The Law Offices of Alice Reiter Feld & Associates, we've been helping South Florida families deal with situations like this for the past 33 years. In fact, we've asked about these situations every day - and we've helped thousands of families deal with them. we're Elder Law attorneys. We have one of the largest Alzheimer's/dementia libraries in South Florida. And we have answers to your questions.


From comprehensive estate planning, wills, trusts, and powers of attorney to asset protection, long-term care planning, and issues with the VA or Medicaid, we can help.

And we're just a phone call away.