What to do when Dad can’t drive anymore

I know from my years in counseling families as an attorney and now as an outreach coordinator at Beatitudes Center DOAR that one of the most difficult dilemmas facing people as they grow older is when they need to give up driving.  That can be a very traumatic experience, particularly when it threatens one’s independence.  For most of us, we would like to remain living in our own homes–familiar surroundings with our own stuff around us (sometimes too much stuff, but never mind), personal items which hold a lot of memories.    But when one can’t drive, well, not only can one not just “get up and go” when one wants to, but the most basic, necessary tasks can become a real challenge.

I know that from an example that hits close to home.  An elderly relative of mine  had to give up driving because of macular degeneration in one eye.  Her village, 20 miles from Madison, Wisconsin, has no grocery store nor medical facilities.  The upshot of it was,  although she is otherwise hale and hearty in mind and body, she decided that she needed to move from her home of 70 years, to a senior living facility that provides transportation, so she could get her own groceries and have transportation to medical appointments assured.

Well, happily, because of one of our programs at Beatitudes Center DOAR, our VICaP Faith in Action program, folks in that situation in our Valley can get the help they need so they can remain living in their own homes.  VICaP Faith in Action matches trained and insured volunteers with homebound adults in their neighborhood or traffic pattern.  Some volunteers take people grocery shopping.  Others provide rides to medical appointments.  And other services such as mail sorting, bill paying and minor home repairs are available, too.

Thanks to VICaP, thanks to the volunteers who reach out to help a neighbor, no body has to leave their home just because they can’t drive anymore.