Taking aging parents’ licence a tough task

One of the most difficult conversations an adult child can have with an aging parent is the one about giving up the car keys because of declining health. The dilemma is one that many adult children will face in the coming years. The number of people 65 and older in Canada increased by 14.1 per cent between 2006 and 2011 to nearly 5 million, according to Statistics Canada. The first baby boomers reached 65 years old in 2011.

According to a U.S. study for insurer Liberty Mutual, 55 per cent of adult children of senior drivers say they are concerned about their parents’ driving habits. But only a very small percentage have had a discussion with their parents about driving abilities.

In fact, adults between 40 and 65 are more concerned about aging parents’ driving than they are about family members driving while intoxicated.

“They really are avoiding the conversation,” says David Melton, Liberty Mutual’s managing director of global safety. “We feel very strongly that families know best, and it’s really critical that boomer children not wait until they see a possibly dangerous decline in their parents’ driving. These are conversations that need to be had early and often.” In the survey, 38 per cent of adult children of senior drivers thought their parents would be open to a discussion about giving up driving. They feared their parents would be angry or hurt or say it’s too hard to find alternative transportation. Among online resources to help plan and initiate this important conversation: AARP’s free, 90-minute seminar at aarp.org/weneedtotalk, and Liberty Mutual’s tips and information at LibertyMutual.com/seniordriving. Melton, who is 67 and has been driving for more than 50 years, says he’s been discussing his driving with his wife and son for the past few years. “They know I love to drive, and ultimately, it’s going to be my responsibility and their responsibility to bring up this issue,” he says. With files from Star staff