When do you decide to let someone who has had a stroke drive again?

I have been thinking about starting a facebook page with a support system for people dealing with caregiving/alzheimers. To give people links to click on in order to find help with various needs & a place to get support. Plus they would not have to leave home. Got any suggestions? There is aarp, this site, and other things. You know, a place like this one, only including medicare, medicaid, a place to talk.

Fancicoffee52: I have to look up the right brain/left brain abilities. Right now, I'd have to ask Dr.Amen.....brain specialist. You could look this up also by going on the Neuro anatomy website.

potpot: Glad I could help you find this link. I need to do more reading on the site too. Sounds like we are at the same point right now. I don't remember who answered but I agree that this should come from someone professional and not from a family member. I have been mulling this over for a couple of years now. Maybe today will be my day. My husband goes to the doctor and I have already made them full aware of this driving thing. Glad to have you join in in our conversations. I'm not always one to reply and some of the things here don't pertain to our situation but I always read the questions. Welcome!

I agree with vstefens in the fact that it depends on MANY things whether a person who's had a stroke can drive again. I wouldn't throw the baby out with the bathwater necessarily. My dad is 85 and had a stroke a few years ago. His was relatively minor as far as strokes go, and it sure didn't effect his brain but he's lost the fine dexterity in his hand as a result. That doesn't stop him from driving (yet) but we do keep an eye on him though.

Potpot, what problem are you having with your husband? Do you mean that his reaction times seem to be slowing? That he has cognitive problems?

In general, I'd advise anyone whose loved one has symptoms that might indicate dementia to get the person evaluated sooner rather than later. My husband's primary care physician said essentially, "He has dementia. Here's a prescription for a walker to help prevent falling. Good bye and good luck." Don't settle for that kind of brush off! Dementia is not curable, but it is treatable. Symptoms can be addressed and quality of life can be greatly improved. Find a specialist that doesn't take the fatalist view that nothing can be done.

RIght brain injury affects left side of the body as far as vision and movement; it also does more spatial perception than language for all but a percentage of left-handed people (most people are left brain cominant, even most left-handers.) Left brain injury is more likely to cause aphasia, and less likely to show neglect (lack of awareness) of the affected side. The most dangerous situation is when someone has a deficit they are not aware of so not even trying to compensate!

Leanne, sorry about your hubby!! It seems so unfair to go through all the rehab and do well, only to be hit with this now!

Yes Patricia, I did answer the wrong pg, 1 st. time on here. Jeannegibbs, I am beginning to have this problem with my husband. Not been diagnosed yet. I was also wondering what to do?

N1K2R2-that was pretty deep about the Right brain/left hemiparesis. I get that there is a difference between Right brain/left hemiparesis and Left brain/right hemiparesis. But what is it?

My husband had a very severe head injury and as he recovered he wanted to resume driving. We had a professional evaluation that included testing reaction times and various other things and also a behind-the-wheel test (in a car equipped with passenger-side brakes!) and was judged capable of safely driving. He was also given some suggestions for safe practices. All was well. Ten years later he developed dementia. Clearly he isn't safe to drive. Among other reasons is his reaction time is just too slow. Bless his doctor. She said, sympathetically but matter-of-factly, "I am required to report this diagnosis to the state. They will probably cancel your driver's license." I think in these cases it is so much better if a professional (doctor or specialized driver testing person, etc.) makes the announcement, rather than a family member. It was an extremely hard loss for my husband, and I am glad that he didn't blame me for it.

I would not want to be in front of, beside or behind a former stroke victim, and neither would you. Pilots have their liscence removed if they require glasses ( corrective lens). Overall health, cognition and hearing and sight tests are great, but not for driving. You are endangering others when you allow a former stroke victim to drive a car.

We had that machine for my mother in law , We had to fill it ourselfs ,but it had a lock. the problem was she either would not take the meds. and leave the cups pill up, or unplug the machine because it would buss. Just like the life elert she would take it off and go upstares. that is where she fell and layed for 2 days befor we found her.

fancicoffee52: I believe this was posted by naricinfo and was post #6 on the first page. If you can't find the post here is the link: http://www.aota.org/Older Driver/Specialists.aspx. Hope this helps.

Patricia

Thank you. I am also glad to hear from others and their viewpoints! Where is that link that someone is talking about? There was a link, apparently, that would help someone on this subject. Thanks again.

N1K2R3 - Oh no, please don't assume that NO ONE who has ever had a stroke can ever drive again - it depends on many things, such as overall level of health and cognition, and whether or not visual and visual preceptual skills are affected. Right brain/left hemiparesis is actually worse prognosis for driving than left brain/right hemiparesis, apparently n omatter whcih side of the road you drive on in your country because of this. I have a lot of young stroke and brain injury patients who can drive safely, and pretty much always have them get a specialized OT behind-the-wheel evaluation as NARICinfo above mentioned, so its not just for old people. A couple of my colleagues even have had small non-cortical hypertensive strokes and returned to practice without any apparent problem. I'm not saying there's no risk, on the contrary; the specialized eval is essential for both yoru liability and the general public's - just not to say "no one" or "never."

My neighbor had to take a road test and pass it before he was able to drive again especially since he left rehab sooner than he was suppose-but I observed him driving and he was not driving very well at that time,

naricinfo: Thanks for posting the link. I am at this point with my husband and really don't know what to do. I have looked at the site and will be reading it thoroughly. It is going to be a big help. My husband will be going to his doctor tomorrow and I hope we will get into a discussion on this as well.

This is a good time to take the keys away. It gives you a way to start the discussion. If it is for medical reasons it may be a little easier for him to take. The fact that he cannot keep his meds straight should be a good indicator of mental capacity.

A driver rehabilitation specialist can give you and your family a professional assessment of someone's driving ability and capability. The American Occupational Therapy Association has a tool to find a specialist at http://www.aota.org/Older-Driver/Specialists.aspx.

A person who has had a stroke, whether it be Ischemic or Hemotologic, should never drive again. Take the keys away, and be available to drive him anywhere he wants to go, anytime..

Depends on how the stroke affected him. In my Mother's case never, she has vascular dementia since the stroke and is not aware enough or strong enough to drive. Maybe you could ask his doctor's opinion.

It would depend upon their ability to react quickly along with other requirements of driving. Please discuss the issue with your loved one as properly taking meds. is a big part of being a responsible driver.

I recently heard about a device that dispenses meds to people automatically. It's run by a service who comes out on a weekly or whatever basis and fills little cups with the proper medications. They set the timer for different times a day and as far as I know it's locked except to them. You have to pay a monthly service fee, but it would be worth it. The asst. living place that we were thinking of putting my mother-in-law in told me about it.