Welcome to Driving with Dementia

Æ

I have dementia and I am still driving. I am interested in:

Sections

Getting help deciding to stop driving

  • Deciding to stop driving can be a difficult decision.
  • Make sure to get support.

They can help by: 

  • Driving with you so that they can observe how you drive.
  • Reviewing with you this warning signs checklist (click here) produced by The Hartford. After you review the checklist, when you close its web page, it will automatically take you back to to here.
  • Discussing with you how you would answer the following questions:
    • How important is driving to you?
    • Have you ever considered giving up driving now that you have a diagnosis of dementia?
    • If you give up driving, how would you get around?
  • Creating an agreement with you by using this agreement (click here) produced by The Hartford. After you review the agreement, when you close its web page, it will automatically bring you back here.

Here's what some people with dementia have to say:

  • That’s always been a real question. I’ve tried to be proactive. To my wife and my kids I say, I might be mad at them at the time, but I  give them permission to be the ones to say - "This is enough, you won’t be able to drive anymore.
  • I think that you have to be aware, period. So, if you are questioning your ability, if you feel like, I can do this, but actually you can only do a little bit of it, take someone for a drive. Ask your family, 'Can you come to the store with me? I’ll drive, and you can tell me how I’m doing.

    Your doctor can help by:

    • Providing support through conversations and sharing ideas.
    • Discussing the results of the in-office assessment and recommendations with you.
    • Possibly referring you to a specialized driving assessment if the doctor is unsure of your driving ability.

    If your doctor recommends that you stop driving, they may have to notify the responsible government authority. This authority may then suspend your driver’s license. If your doctor does not make such a report, they can be held legally responsible if you get in a car crash.

    For help deciding when is the right time to give up driving, click on on the titles below. After you review each worksheet, when you close the worksheet's web page, it will automatically bring you back here.

    • Dementia and Driving Decision Aid produced and adapted for Canada by the University of Wollongong, Australia. Please note, it may take about a minute to download.

    For help coming up with ways to get around when you are no longer able to drive, click on the titles below of these worksheets produced by The Hartford. After you review each worksheet, when you close the worksheet's web page, it will automatically bring you back here. Some parts of these worksheets may not be helpful if you live in a rural community.