Advice Needed...

[chefchris401]

Sorry to hear about his health.

We had a similar experience with my grand mother. She crashed thru her own fence when she cut the wheel to much and stopped two feet from the house!

She didn't want to give her license up either, so we took the car away. It was the only way, she would stop driving.

It's tough to do because your taking their independence away but after she almost slammed into the house that was it.

Like raven stated make him take the teat again and if he fails no license.

Hope it works out for the best.
Good luck.
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[Jimbo]

Most importantly, your family is dealing with this now, at the onset. My father-in-law did not and his wife's "memory loss" has progressed into what is obviously Alzeimers. It's beyond the initial stages and he still refuses to get professional help. When he brings it up she isn't receptive to it (she doesn't think she has a problem though her actions speak otherwise) . I would suggest, even if you have to lie to him, get him to his family doctor and let the doctor know what's been going on. The last thing you want is for your father to hurt himself or someone else. But let a professional determine what's going on and what can be done.

[nightfighter]

We got my mom moved to Brooksby Village just over a year ago. Just brought the car to my brother's house last weekend, never to return to her. We have been going over it with her for a year, but the dementia onset has had her too fearful to drive, even though she says she does. The car had virtually no miles on it since it last had an oil change. But it is a tough one. You might have to go pull a couple wires so it won't work, and have a discussion with his mechanic.... I disconnected the battery on a friend's mom's car for this very same scenario.

[mekcotuit]

My dad got diagnosed with alzheimers at 68. At about age 71 we knew he could not/should not drive anymore. My mom spoke to his doctor who wrote a letter to the RMV and told them my father was not to drive anymore. We showed the letter to my dad and though he bitched he did not drive. (my mom still kept the car keys hidden) The letter was never sent to the RMV - but my mom would show it to my dad when he would start acting up. Get your sibling together and go talk to his doctor for advice.

[Stewie]

Call the police and ask them to talk to him. If an officer decides that a driver should have his license revoked, the registry acts a lot quicker than they will if you ask. If you are friends with a police officer, ask him for advice. We are going through this with my mother in law. It doesn't really matter if she has a license or not, as she drives anyways. Maybe you should call the garage and ask them to be unable to locate the parts to repair his truck. As long as they have it, he can't drive.

[spinncognito]

Thanks for all the input. We got lucky in that he bent the frame during his ride-on-the-rim to the shop, so it is totaled. That is the good news, the bad news is that as I was talking to his mechanic, Dad pulled up in his wifes car, her in the passenger seat. Seems she has decided to "let him drive" on a limited basis "for now". I am sure that this is her giving in to him and not having to deal with the outrage he has already and will continue to display if we even talk about him not driving.

Now we are faced with convincing her and him that something has to change....

Time to talk to my police friends.

[Stewie]

As a diabetic myself, I'd be more worried about his stumbling with words or remembering his story. This could well be from him being low blood sugar. If he is taking insulin(type 1 diabetic) and forgets to eat, he could temporarily lose his ability to think(ask my friends)

When this happens, the temporarily brainless Dad may still try to drive. I check my sugars before I drive if I feel even a little low.

[Raven]

well you want to avoid a court situation completely
where he almost ended up driving the wrong way
the other day.....

that would be a heck of allot worse than simply loosing
his privileged to operate a motor vehicle with lawyers
and the stress of it all

You don't want to agitate him into a coronary due
to the stress of loosing his independence either.

just remember that

Brain cells communicate great with sufficient 02
and begin to suffer for the lack of it...
there are many wonderful Brain restore products
on the health market that you can try.

Anything with Kelp works wonders...+ ginko biloba
his iron levels have to be adequate to "capture" the 02
for his blood to circulate it to the brain
brewers yeast improves brain cell communication too.

after age 40 we begin to deliver less oxygen to the brain
and "memory especially" begins to suffer...