Monday, April 27, 2009

When should Alzheimer's patients stop driving?

man driving a test car
Yahoo! News (April 6) WASHINGTON – Scientists are creating tests to show when it's time for people with early Alzheimer's disease to stop driving. It's one of a family's most wrenching decisions, and as Alzheimer's increasingly is diagnosed in its earliest stages, it can be hard to tell when a loved one is poised to become a danger.

Factor in that much of the country lacks public transportation, and quitting too soon restricts independence for someone who otherwise may function well for several years.

"That's a real cost to the individual and family and society," says Jeffrey Dawson of the University of Iowa. "You have to have some sort of trade-off between the individual's independence along with the safety of the driver and with other people on the road."

To view entire article, please click on link above.

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