Articles
Alzheimer's and dementia: When to stop driving
Start the conversation
How to ease the transition
Remain firm as the disease progresses
Content
Starting the conversation
Making the transition
When to stop driving
Strategies for difficult transitions
Strategies for difficult transitions
If the person living with dementia is unwilling to give up driving, consider these last-resort preventive strategies:
- Control key access. Keep keys out of sight. If the person with dementia wants to keep a set of keys, offer keys that won't start the vehicle.
- Disable the vehicle. Remove a battery cable to prevent the car from starting, or ask a mechanic to install a "kill switch" that must be engaged before the car will start.
- Sell the vehicle. If you can make do without the vehicle, consider selling it.