Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Helping A Senior To Give Up Driving

Giving up driving can be difficult for anyone, but especially for a senior citizen, who may see this as the first step in losing independence and autonomy. Whatever the reason for the change, there are several steps you can take to make the transition easier.

Whenever possible, giving up driving should be approached as a gradual transition process – not as a sudden change. However, there are times when you may not have the leisure of transitioning gradually into not driving. For example, if the senior has been involved in an accident or has had a significant change in mental or physical status, this could necessitate that driving stop immediately. More often, however, it is the case that there are circumstances under which the senior can and cannot drive, and each should be addressed.

The senior should be involved in the decision making process to the extent that’s practical. Few of us relish the thought of having others make decisions for us, so it’s important to involve the senior whenever possible. Ideally, a dialogue about safe driving should begin far in advance of the need to make any decisions about giving up driving.

When it’s feasible, allow the senior to begin to give up driving while continuing to drive in ways that are safe. For example, maybe the senior can still drive safely on familiar, local roads, but is no longer capable of driving safely on major interstates or crowded city streets. Or perhaps the issue is driving at night. It’s not unusual for seniors to need to stop driving at night or when it’s rainy or foggy and visibility is limited before they stop driving completely. Avoid times when traffic is congested, such as just before and after business hours and during lunch. Avoiding areas where there is heavy pedestrian traffic may also be wise.

As the senior begins to transition to not driving, supplemental transportation will need to be available. In some instances, this may involve friends or family members who can drive when needed. It may also involve using public transportation. If public transportation is going to be used, take some time to familiarize yourself first with the system. Know the costs, the pick-up and drop-off locations, and which routes are most likely to be helpful. Armed with this information, spend some time with the senior riding public transportation to help them become more comfortable with it.

In addition, many retirement communities or areas with large and active seniors groups offer public transportation either for free or at discounted rates. Call around to see if any of these opportunities exist in your community.

When public transportation isn’t available or appropriate, there are other resources that may be useful. For example, most area hospitals offer medical transport for seniors to help them get to doctors offices and hospitals for appointments. In other areas, you can arrange for private transportation – a taxi, for example – to be available at a regular time and date. Some businesses, such as pharmacies and grocery stores, will also deliver to home-bound seniors.

The most important thing you can do when helping a senior give up driving is to stay involved with them. Don’t let them become completely homebound – spend time with them regularly, and take them places. Help them stay active, and everyone will be happier.

Monday, May 11, 2009

Don't Buy A Car With Flood Damage

Cars and water don’t mix well. When a car has been damaged by a flood, the extent of the damage can vary considerably, depending on how much of the car was submerged, how long the car was under water, and even the condition of the water. While you may think that only the upholstery and electrical system of a car would be affected, in reality, you’d be hard pressed to find any part of the car that wasn’t affected and potentially damaged by the water.

One of the biggest issues at hand is whether or not you’re told that a car was damaged in a flood. If you know a car was damaged in a flood, you can consider the car in that light and determine whether or not you want to go forward with the purchase. If you do so, you do so knowing the issue of repairs and reliability you may face in the future. If you want the car for parts, for example, a flooded car may be acceptable. If, however, you’re looking for reliable transportation, you’d probably be better served to keep looking.

The real problem arises when an unscrupulous sales person tries to sell you a car with flood damage without revealing that to you. Fortunately, there’s a fairly easy way to protect yourself from a car with flood damage these days – run a title search. A title search will tell you the status of a car, especially if it was purchased from an insurance company or a dealership that works with insurance companies in an area that has just experienced a major flood.

First, obtain the VIN of the car you’re considering and take that number to your local Department of Motor Vehicles office to request a title search. More conveniently, there are commercial services – most notably CarFax – that can provide you with information about the title of a car. Most of these services are available online and offer some information for free, while charging for other information.

If a car has a salvaged title, it means that the car has been totaled or determined to have damages in which the cost of potential repairs exceeds the value of the car. In most cases, like a fire or an accident, the damage is so self-evident that it can’t be hidden. A flood damaged car, on the other hand, can have damage not readily visible to the untrained eye. For example, a car that was flooded by fresh water can look undamaged after a careful cleaning. For example, the appearance of the car tells you nothing about the reliability of the electrical system of the car, which may be severely compromised after flood damage.

Flood damage can be hard to determine, even by a trained mechanic conducting a pre-sale inspection. The only absolutely reliable way to protect yourself from flood damage is to find out whether or not the car has a salvage title before you go ahead with the purchase.