- Help her find alternative means of transportation, and compile a list of resources for her to refer to. Even before the person you're caring for gives up driving, it's a good idea to encourage her to check out her transportation options -- and to help her do it. Many areas now have a variety of transportation services for older adults besides buses. Some senior centers have their own bus services or offer taxi vouchers for senior transport.
If she has friends who also don't drive, you could encourage them to pool their resources and hire a college student for part-time or occasional driving services.
Under the 1990 Americans With Disabilities Act, public transit services are required to provide transportation options -- known as "Paratransit" -- for people with disabilities, including frail older folks. To qualify for paratransit, an individual must be unable to use the public transportation system independently. Depending on your friend or relative's health condition, she may qualify for paratransit service.
To find out more about paratransit and other transportation services for older adults in your area, here are some good places to start:
The U.S. Administration on Aging offers an Eldercare Locator that provides information on eldercare services in your area. You can call 800-677-1116 to reach an information specialist.
AARP's website offers a State by State Guide to Transportation Assistance that features local transportation information around the United States.
- Brainstorm with her to help her set priorities and plan ahead. For example, she may want to make a habit of taking a taxi rather than a bus if she's pressed for time and must be someplace at a specific hour, as for a doctor appointment. If she's going to visit a friend and has no particular deadline, she may want to take a bus. If she balks at the cost of taxis or driving services, remind her how much she's saving on gasoline, car maintenance, and insurance.
- Encourage walking when possible. If an older adult has been in the habit of driving everywhere, she may not think of walking to nearby shops or restaurants. Offer to join her for a walk to the post office or the beauty parlor, and she's likely to find she enjoys the fresh air and exercise.
- Try online shopping, banking, and other services. Now that she doesn't drive, your friend or relative may want to explore online options for shopping and other services. Many grocery stores now allow customers to shop online, and deliver groceries to the door. She can also do her banking online, saving a trip to the bank and the post office. If she's not particularly computer savvy, you can help her get started by walking her through the system a few times.
- Encourage her to develop new interests. Many older adults dread giving up the car because they equate "driving privilege loss with negation of personal effectiveness," according to a General Motors report on older drivers. It's important for her well-being that she continue to feel that her life has purpose, whether she can still drive or not. If she seems bored or lonely or is spending a lot of time in front of the TV, you might want to encourage her to develop new interests or resume old ones. Many volunteer organizations welcome older participants. She may enjoy tutoring at the local grammar school or reading to children at a hospital. Maybe she could take up a new musical instrument or join a book club. Many senior centers offer classes, or your she could enroll at the local community college or university. These activities will have the added benefit of helping her make new friends and feel part of a wider community.
