How Do You Judge a Parent’s Driving Skills?
One of the tougher aspects family members face is determining when a parent should stop driving. Your parents may be fine. But, it could also be time for them to hand in their keys. They may not enjoy being told they’re not safe drivers.
Care Management Services in Indianapolis IN: Senior Driving
Nevertheless, it’s important that you take time to gauge their skills. It’s better to have them be unhappy for a while than to get the call they caused a crash. To judge their skills, get in the car and look at their skills in these areas.
Can They Reach and Use All Pedals and Controls?
Reaching and using the pedals and dash controls is important when driving. If your dad has a hard time pulling up the emergency brake, he shouldn’t be driving. If your mom has a hard time moving her foot from the brake to the accelerator, it’s time to stop her.
How Far Do They Turn to Check Their Blind Spots?
When your mom and dad are checking their blind spots, how far do they turn their head? If they’re not able to fully see over their shoulder, it’s not enough. Even with technology that alerts to blind spots, they still need to be able to double-check.
Work with your mom and dad to see how far they can turn their head. Can they touch their chin to the center of their shoulder? If so, they should be able to turn enough. If they can’t get that far, it could be time to hand over the keys.
Are Reaction Times Appropriate?
How are their reaction times? If a car suddenly brakes in front of them, do they immediately hit their brakes? If they pause for a couple of seconds, reaction times may not be what they were.
Your parents need to be watching for and ready to react to a car that cuts them off, a pet or child that runs into the road, or traffic that suddenly stops. The reaction to those surprises should be immediate.
What Do Their Doctors Say?
Have you talked to their doctors? The eye doctor’s opinion matters a lot. If vision has deteriorated to the point that driving is risky, the eye doctor will tell you. Other doctors will have information about prescription medications that have side effects that require your parents to stop driving.
Home care makes it possible for your parents to get from Point A to Point B without risking their safety. A caregiver takes over driving for them. If they need a ride to an appointment, the caregiver is happy to drive them to and from the office. Shopping trips and drop-offs at friends’ houses or senior care centers are no problem with transportation services from a local home care agency. Let us help you find the perfect fit!
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Care Management Services in Indianapolis, IN, please contact the caring staff at Advocate Care Management at (317) 471-0770
A Distinguished Career From Nurse to Director of Nursing to President of Home Services Unlimited
Etelka’s distinguished career followed a logical progression to her position as President of Home Services Unlimited. She graduated as a nurse practitioner with a Bachelor of Nursing (RN) in 1972 from Meshgorya University in the Ukraine, close to where she lived with her family. She married her husband Phil in 1973 and decided in 1977 that they would relocate to the United States to be closer to family and to come to this land of opportunity. With an eagerness to continue her budding career, Etelka sat for and passed her Boards in the U.S. in 1979.
A Love and Talent for Working with the Elderly
Etelka began her nursing career in the U.S. at Colonial Crest, now part of Golden Living, where shewasthe In-service Coordinator, the Director of Training and Education and Director of Nursing, a position she occupied for several years.
With a group of partners, she co-founded Adept Corporation, which operated group homes for the mentally challenged. The business was successful and in 1996, Etelka sold her share to return to her roots, caring for the elderly.
In January of 1997, Etelka opened Home Services Unlimited as a fully licensed business to provide home health care. In her quest to learn to do better for her patients, she had already obtained a Masters in Healthcare Administration (MHA) in May of 1990 from the College of St. Francis. As President of Home Services Unlimited, Inc., Etelka guides the trusted, experienced care model Home Services Unlimited uses to continue providing excellent home health care.
Giving Back to the Community of Indianapolis
Volunteering for community services is a high priority for Etelka. Her memberships include the Indiana Association of Rehabilitation Facilities, Executive Women in Health Care and the Indiana Association for Home and Hospice Care, where she is a member of the Board of Directors.
Etelka has also served on the Board of Directors with Hooverwood Home, a highly regarded geriatric facility, since 1997 and as the President for 2005-2006. Through her community work, she has received several awards and accolades, including the Nora McFarland award in 2002, from the Indiana Association of Home and Hospice Care.
Etelka was honored as a “Health Care Hero” by the Indianapolis Business Journal. The issue can be read online here:
http://mags.ibj.com/activemagazine/welcome/html/ibjhch.html.
After clicking on the link, then click on the image of the issue’s front page. After that, you can browse through the issue or click in a box near the top of your internet browser to adjust the page to 17, which is where Etelka’s article appears.
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