There is little doubt that the issue of senior driving (both pro and con) has taken on unprecedented levels of interest and concern in Massachusetts over the past few months. With an Elderly Driving Bill now up for debate on Beacon Hill, many may feel the issue can be fully solved with regulation alone, and will soon be a concern they can "scratch off" their lists.
But for seniors and their families, it's not that simple.
Until, and even if, new regulations pass, seniors and their families lack information on how to assess driving skills objectively beyond age 65. Meanwhile, seniors and families are grappling with how to have tough conversations about giving up the keys, and don't know where to start to create a Plan B, so life can continue as fully as possible once driving stops.
Instead of being branded Public Enemy No. 1, what senior drivers and their adult children need are more facts, resources and support to help them make smart decisions and plan out the next phase of life beyond driving.
While we all agree the issue of road safety is crucial, for seniors, giving up the keys to their car is almost like losing the ability to walk. Senior drivers not only face the discontinuation of a major part of their lives, they also face the loss of flexibility, control, independence and socialization so vital to health and happiness in our later years.
Without careful planning to retain these vital parts of life, seniors can rapidly slide into physical and emotional decline, poor eating habits, and isolation, which in turn leads to not only increased family strains, but also increased strains on our health care systems and social services.
This will only become a bigger and bigger problem given the "age wave" we've already begun to experience. According to the US Census, the population of those 65-plus will more than double between 2000 and 2050, which means there will be many more seniors on the road.
Add to these sheer numbers the fact that most families are uncomfortable talking about this issue, and you have an even more critical need for information and education. According to a 2008 survey conducted by Caring.com and the National Safety Council, 40 percent of baby boomer respondents reported feeling uncomfortable talking to their parents about driving, and were actually more comfortable talking to them about selling their homes or even making funeral plans.
Beacon Hill can start helping families by creating objective, observable, fact-based measures of driving ability and indications of problems that are not dependent on pure age alone. We also need tips and tools on safe senior driving for the many who will continue to be on the road.
This will be especially critical to families with senior loved ones younger than 75 (the currently proposed trigger age for testing in the Elderly Driving Bill) so there is less of a gray zone for that 65-plus decade of driving. Otherwise families are left on their own to try to work through what can be very difficult, polarizing and, ultimately, unsuccessful conversations based purely on emotion versus the facts.
Beyond Beacon Hill, help for seniors and their families on safe driving and post-driving life can come from many places including senior centers, doctors, professional care givers, case workers and assisted living staffs.
These types of experts and resources can also help families put a "Plan B" in place for alternative transportation so seniors can get to their doctor's appointments, run errands and attend social gatherings.
Just knowing there is a plan for how to get a ride through a local senior service, from a friend or relative, or with a cab occasionally can really help demystify what life will be like after driving and help keep higher quality of life going.
There are also Web sites and online assessment tools to help seniors and families on the driving issue including ones like AAASeniors.com, the MIT Age Lab (http://web.mit.edu/agelab/index.shtml); and the Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Center (http://www.bu.edu/alzresearch/research/driving/index.html).
Independent driving test organizations and schools are also in place to provide a more objective view and can be found on the web.
Regardless of what ultimately happens with the Mass Elderly Driving Bill, local families and experts need to work together now to share the facts and provide the support needed to make smart driving decisions with knowledge and dignity for the safety of everyone we love on the road, whether they be 8, 18 or 80.
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Martha Cashins is the owner of Home Instead Senior Care in North Andover
