Driving assessment

[Kath610]

Hi, my husband has just been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s - when we went for the diagnosis meeting, the doctor mentioned driving and the DriveAbility scheme. Our dementia nurse referred my husband to them, though individuals can do it themselves.
They operate in East Anglia, though I’m sure there must be something similar in other areas. They assess a person’s ability to drive after life changing events, not just dementia.
My husband is really reluctant to go but I have told him he has to ( though it isn’t actually compulsory) It may be easier to be told by someone after an assessment rather than in a surgery or consultation.
Hope this is useful

In addition to this - I did not advise him in any way and told him I wasn’t going to - I did not want him saying “Well YOU said I had to stop driving…..” further down the line. It had to be entirely his decision. In the end and very reluctantly he decided to surrender his licence so I got that done as fast as possible (just a form to the DVLA) and we have discussed it at length since - many times! I got him to finish the sentence “I am giving up driving because….” and he managed “memory problems “ and “safety “. He gets terribly upset about it but is coming to terms with it. He has signed the car over to me and I have taken him off the insurance - no going back.

 

[Liz2704]

My husband was diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment in oct last year and had been told by his stroke consultant in Sept he must not drive. He is devistated as he drive a coach all over the world for about 15years. He also has degenerative osteoarthritis in his back so walking is painful.
Like others he has not accepted that he has problems with memory, dexterity etc. His total focus is not being able to drive. He will not let me tell DVLA but to be fair has not attempted to drive. I drive and just have to suffer the roth of him shouting at other drivers and critising.
Prior to the diagnosis we had some pretty scary rides and near misses so I was releaved but the through of him being reassessed and passed fills me with horror. I wish really unhelpful people would stop saying to him " you will soon be driving again".
I have spoken with our GP who doubts he would get the ok to drive but who knows.

 

[CAL Y]

I know I’ve said this before but my husband went from being, in my opinion as a driver, safe in the morning then after a fifty mile drive, doing something really dangerous.
I didnt Argue with him, I just cut up his licence and sent it back to the dvla.
I then managed to persuade him that it was his idea and he was then “proud” to tell everyone that he had made the decision.

Its just not possible to have a logical conversation with a PWD.

 

[MartinWL]

I wish really unhelpful people would stop saying to him " you will soon be driving again".

If people said that to my dad I would be very angry and they would be told so in no uncertain terms. There is every possibility that I might utter a rude word!