Dementia and driving: Perceptions and changing habits

To better understand the importance of driving in the lives of older adults with dementia, the authors developed a survey that addressed driving history, driving habits and attitudes about cessation of driving. Seventy- five drivers with dementia and 75 collateral sources familiar with the patient's driving habits were surveyed. Patients had driven for an average of 57.8 years. They drove 5.0 days per week and in many situations. Forty-nine patients and 32 collaterals believed that the driver with dementia would be able to continue driving throughout the course of the disease. The driver with dementia was the preferred choice to best make the decision to discontinue driving by both patients and collaterals. Our findings indicate that both drivers with dementia and their collaterals lack insight into the inevitability of the need to limit and eventually discontinue driving.