Road safety/ independence

neurotic

Registered User
May 27, 2015
21
0
My dad loves to walk out and about but totally disregards road safety just stepping out into road saying cars will stop for him. Social worker didn't seem to think he needs more support than two half hour visits a day, lives on own. Love to see him keep his independence but he is a danger to road users....any advice?
 

henfenywfach

Registered User
May 23, 2013
332
0
rct
My dad loves to walk out and about but totally disregards road safety just stepping out into road saying cars will stop for him. Social worker didn't seem to think he needs more support than two half hour visits a day, lives on own. Love to see him keep his independence but he is a danger to road users....any advice?

Hi!..ask the ss to refer your dad to sensory impairment team at ss. With dementia perceptions can be altered. My dad cant see 3d. Kerbs bus shelters cars etc. Anything thats 3d is basically flat. His eye sight is spot on..checked every 6 months or more. Also perceptions such as busy patterns or black squares being holes.

This means everything in the house and outside is different and can cause danger just like if someone cant see it.

This is where the concern lies. They have to take it seriously. The person isnt always aware its happening to them..

Best wishes

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Talking Point mobile app
 

AlsoConfused

Registered User
Sep 17, 2010
1,952
0
Are there any handy neighbours / friendly people who do a lot of walking (for fun or because they've got a dog)? I was wondering whether if they took your Dad with them they could get him pleasantly exhausted and quite willing to stay inside the house for a bit.

There was a book entitled "Amazing Grace" written by the spouse / carer of Grace. He and she went for 5 mile walks every day - whatever the weather - and she never wandered apparently ....
 

Linbrusco

Registered User
Mar 4, 2013
1,694
0
Auckland...... New Zealand
My Mum 74 with moderate AD has no traffic sense either.
Mum & Dad live in their own house behind ours and I have almost run her over reversing/driving out our garage as she just appears out of nowhere, and gets as close as she can get to our garage rather than wait on her doorstep where i could see her.

She knows for now we don't like her walking up to our main shopping centre which is only a 15mn walk but 2 very busy roads to cross. We tell her its because of the troublemakers hanging about by the bus station.
She asks dad to go with her.

We don't mind her walking down to or local dairy which is 5mns, the shopkeepers know her and have my phn no.
Occasionally though when I am at work, Mum will get it into her head she wants to go to the bakery, a 10mn walk with one busy intersection patrolled by traffic lights.
Dad doesn't think to go with her, and one day I fear she will forget to press the buzzer to cross, or will think its gone off when it hasn't and will step out in front of a car.

One time when talking about it, she said we can't keep her a prisoner in her home. :(
 

marionq

Registered User
Apr 24, 2013
6,449
0
Scotland
Linbrusco the prisoner argument is relevant but what happens when the desire for freedom endangers them. My husband on Tuesday went to buy a paper 5 minutes away. He never reached the shop and we think he got on a passing bus. I had the police on the case within an hour but it took ten hours to track him down. Had the police not spotted him he could still be walking.

The police put in many hours and were great at telling me what was going on with CCTV etc.

Trackers and mobile phones are only effective if they actually are carrying them!
 

uselessdaughter

Registered User
Jun 8, 2009
249
0
West Country
My dad loves to walk out and about but totally disregards road safety just stepping out into road saying cars will stop for him. Social worker didn't seem to think he needs more support than two half hour visits a day, lives on own. Love to see him keep his independence but he is a danger to road users....any advice?

I totally understand the need for some people to walk and also the need for some degree of independence. However, a couple of years ago a friend knocked down and killed an elderly man who walked out in front of her car. She was looking for a parking space so was only travelling very slowly but unfortunately he hit his head on another car on his way down. She had to attend court and was eventually exonerated. The man's widow told my friend that she did not hold her in any way responsible as he was always walking into the road without looking but it did not stop my friend nearly having a breakdown with the guilt.

I am sorry this is not in any way helpful but unfortunately these things can and do happen.