Driving in his golden years: Part II

When Sharon called the Home Helpers office for advice about Betty's concern for her husband's driving, she learned that there is a program where Jim could be evaluated. The Care Coordinator at Home Helpers recommended they first talk to their doctor because a referral was required.

As part of their service, Home Helpers provides transportation to and from anywhere that they need. Whenever Sharon is with them, they ask her to drive. So after making an appointment, they got in the car and went to see his doctor.

While Sharon was in the waiting room, Jim and Betty discussed their concerns with his doctor. He agreed that, at some point, it's good to know how Jim would perform based on objective screening.

He said, "If it's a cause for concern, I'll write you a referral to KMC's Department of Rehabilitation Services. Jim, we plan for all sorts of things in life; but we never plan to stop driving. This evaluation can at least give us a bench mark on where you stand."

Jim began to feel nervous that he might lose his driving privileges. Sharon assured him that no matter what happened, she'd be there to make sure that their transportation needs are met. So they called for an appointment with the Occupational Therapist... To be continued Wednesday, Dec. 7

For questions about home care, contact Home Helpers at (208) 769-9560 or go to www.CoeurdAleneHomeCare.com.

For questions concerning driving evaluations, contact ReNae Scott, MS, OTR/L Occupational Therapist at (208) 666-2378 or email at [email protected].