I have a family with drivers who were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and dementia. Is there anything I or they need to be aware of?

It is very difficult to take the car keys away from someone who has been diagnosed from dementia and Alzheimer’s. However, that doesn’t mean that there is no solution to this problem.

Consumers should, if they already haven’t, know that taking the car keys away from family members is an extreme problem.

The Hartford and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Age Lab has developed a certain guide developed to aid families in making an informed decision and recognizing the symptoms of this difficult disease.

What are some tips for monitoring loved one’s driving skills:

• Talk to other members of the family about their observations of the driver’s abilities, behavior and other types of moods.

• Make sure that you talk to your loved ones in a quiet, safe place in order to discuss a reasonable solution to this problem. Perhaps you can discuss the driving skills of this person and the alternatives to driving. Explain that they are putting themselves in danger. Remember to make a persuasive argument with evidence to support this fact.

• Talk to physicians and other health care specialists in order to discuss decisions about driving and Alzheimer’s. Ask for their advice, and ask what to do and how to do it. After gathering the necessary information, talk to your loved one once more.

Talk to them about alternatives to transportation such as a car service (personal car service), senior-citizen vans, rides from friends or relatives and taxis. Talk to your loved one about which method of transportation he prefers the most. Always remember to make this about your loved one. This is a very delicate issue for many people. That’s why it must be addressed with great weary of the circumstances.

Try to observe driving activity and the time of date of any warning signs as much as possible. These warning signs should include poor turns, hitting the curb, driving up lawns, exhibiting confusion at highway exits as well. Driving at speeds too fast or too slow are also bad symptoms of this dreadful medical condition.