After a stroke, your parent is likely to want to get back to their normal life as quickly as possible. If they were relatively healthy and independent prior to the stroke, one of the things they may be eager to do again is drive. However, depending on the severity of the stroke, they may be unable to drive again or may have to give up driving for a while.
Things That May Make Driving Unsafe
A stroke can cause several problems that make driving difficult or unsafe. Some of those things are:
Physical Problems: After a stroke, one side of the senior’s body may be weak or even paralyzed. They could also have pain or altered sensations that impair driving.
Vision Issues: Stroke can impact the eyes, causing blurry or double vision.
Cognitive Effects: Your parent might have trouble concentrating or making quick decisions. They may also have changes to their perception.
Fatigue: Post-stroke fatigue can make the older adult feel very tired and feel like they have no energy. This could cause them to fall asleep behind the wheel.
Epilepsy: Strokes sometimes cause a person to develop epilepsy. If they were to have a seizure while driving, they could cause an accident.
Depending on the state your parent lives in, the doctor may be required to report the stroke to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Your doctor can also talk to you and your parent about whether it is safe for them to drive. They may refer your parent to an occupational therapist to help them re-learn some of the skills needed for driving.
The doctor may perform some tests in their office to determine whether your parent can resume driving.
Some tests they may use are:
- A test in which your parent is asked to identify road signs or match them to scenarios that may occur when driving.
- A test that evaluates their vision, ability to pay attention, and mental speed.
- A test to evaluate how well their vision tracks, such as by asking them to draw a line between two points.
Tests like these are often an excellent determination of whether an older adult can pass an actual driving assessment. In fact, they are about 85 percent accurate.
What if Your Parent Cannot Drive?
If your elderly parent is not able to drive after a stroke, home care can help them to continue leading their normal life. Home care can offer transportation to stores, medical appointments, social engagements, and other places. As an added bonus, when a home care provider drives your parent, you also know that they have someone to safely escort them in and out of buildings.
Sources: https://www.stroke.org.uk/sites/default/files/driving_after_stroke.pdf
https://www.aarp.org/auto/driver-safety/info-2018/driving-after-stroke-fd.html
https://www.webmd.com/stroke/news/20110222/who-can-drive-after-a-stroke#1
https://www.stroke.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Driving-after-Stroke-Fact-Sheet-2015_0.pdf