Are Your Driving Skills Good Enough?
As with any skill, expert guidance can help keep you at the top of your game. Y cuando se trata de la conducción, esto es particularmente importante porque afecta su seguridad y la seguridad de los demás.
Casi cualquier persona puede beneficiarse con un examen integral de manejo a cargo de un profesional, por ejemplo un terapeuta ocupacional. And it’s the best way to identify any specific changes necessary to improve your driving safety.
Many older adults make adjustments to when and how they drive in order to compensate for physical and cognitive changes that they experience as they age – and to remain safe behind the wheel and keep others safe. Ésta es una estrategia muy sabia. And many who experience significant health issues or physical limitations – including fairly severe problems – can sometimes drive safely.
Often those who have suffered a medical incident such as a stroke, or who have a chronic medical condition like multiple sclerosis, can stay behind the wheel or even resume driving if they’ve stopped. The key is to find out about yourself – and your individual ability to drive safely.
Reasons to Consider a Driving Evaluation
- If you feel your driving continues to be fine, you may appreciate having your opinion seconded by a professional with the background and experience to verify your confidence.
- If you are “feeling your age” – not seeing quite as well as you once did, experiencing slowed reaction time or a loss of flexibility – you may benefit from knowing whether or how much these changes may affect your new strategies or tips to keep your driving skills sharp.
- If you have one or more medical conditions – chronic diseases such as arthritis or diabetic neuropathy, or physical limitations that may lead to a loss of range of motion, flexibility, or strength in your arms or legs – you may also benefit from an evaluation. Además, éste puede ofrecerle un plan de rehabilitación, si corresponde.
- If you have suffered a loss of peripheral vision, depth perception, or other vision related change, a driving evaluation would be most helpful.
- If you have been told that you should stop driving, but you’re not sure that you agree, you could benefit by getting an opinion from a comprehensive driving evaluator. La evaluación es un proceso extremadamente detallado; obtendrá una recomendación que tiene en cuenta un cuadro completo de su capacidad y habilidad de manejo. Incluye una apreciación de su capacidad actual de manejo y su potencial de mejoría.
- If you would like to resume driving after a period of non-driving, you could benefit from getting a driving “checkup.” Por ejemplo, si dejó de manejar luego de una enfermedad como un accidente cerebrovascular, la evaluación podría demostrar qué efectos, si los hay, dejó el accidente en su capacidad para manejar de forma segura. También podría señalar estrategias, terapias de rehabilitación o equipos especiales que podrían ayudarlo a manejar de forma segura nuevamente. Las personas descubren a veces que, luego de un periodo de recuperación, cierto entrenamiento y reeducación puede ayudarlos a volver a estar frente al volante.
- If a change of circumstances affects where or how much you drive, you may benefit from a driving evaluation to sharpen skills and build confidence. Algunos ejemplos de cambios incluyen una mudanza reciente o el cambio de roles familiares.
- If you have been diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease but are in the early stages, you may not need to stop driving immediately. A comprehensive evaluation can determine whether you can continue to drive safely for the time being – and can help you make plans for a time in the future when you will not be able to drive.
For more information about comprehensive driving evaluations, download or order your free copy of El camino que lo espera: Una guía para evaluaciones integrales de manejo..
