Are There Reasons Your Senior Won’t Talk about Driving?

Is your elderly family member avoiding you every time you bring up driving? You’re probably not imagining that. Here are some possible reasons she’s not willing to talk right now.

She’s Convinced She’ll Be Trapped at Home

Home Care Services Thousand Oaks CA - Are There Reasons Your Senior Won’t Talk about Driving?

Home Care Services Thousand Oaks CA – Are There Reasons Your Senior Won’t Talk about Driving?

It’s a realistic fear, but your senior may be worried that she’ll be stuck at home constantly. Even if she doesn’t go many places now, if she’s still driving she could decide to hop in the car at any time. It sounds a little contrary, and maybe it is. But it’s also reasonable to be concerned about this. That’s why any conversation you have about this needs to involve a solution that allows her to still be able to go when she wants.

She Doesn’t Want to Feel Like She’s Burdening Anyone

Most people feel bad about burdening people they care about. This is especially true when your senior knows that other people are busy and are dealing with a lot of other things. It’s really difficult to get past this objection, but it is possible. When you’ve got a solid plan set up whereby your senior has transportation whenever she needs and wants it, that’s definitely not burdensome.

She Really Dislikes Asking People for a Ride

This sounds like not wanting to be a burden, but it’s slightly different. Some people have a difficult time expressing needs and asking for help when they need it. Your elderly family member might worry that it makes her sound weak or that it’s annoying, even when you tell her that none of that is true. She may also want to avoid any appearance of being dependent on anyone else. There are a lot of layers to this one.

Big Changes Are Scary

When you get right down to it, this is a big change. And change can be frightening for people of any age. There’s a lot of uncertainty in closing down certain chapters of life and when your elderly family member doesn’t feel prepared, she may be more resistant. You may find that you’re going to have to reassure her that this doesn’t have to be as big as it might already feel.

Understanding what’s creating the resistance for your senior can help you to find a plan to help. One of the best ways to accommodate her needs might be to have home care services providers on hand to handle tasks for her and also to do the driving. Give it a trial run and see how your senior feels about it.

Excerpt: You may be ready to talk about driving with your senior, but why does she keep ghosting you?

If you or an aging loved-one are considering Home Care Services in Thousand Oaks CA, please contact the caring staff at Assisting Hearts Home Care today. Proudly Serving the Los Angeles & Ventura County. Call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! (805) 371-0033, (818) 593-0094.