When Is It Time for a Senior to Stop Driving? — with geriatrician Dr. Amina Jabbar

Way back when we had you on first, I believe it was in January, you said that talking about driving in clinic is one of the most painful things you have to do in your job.

Why is that?

If you just kind of think just socially about all the things that people love to do.

Driving is like pretty high up there.

And it's one of these fundamental things that I think we kind of grow up being like, it's the thing that goes, ah, I'm independent.

I'm thinking of like my nephew who's like turning 14.

16 can't come fast enough for him.

Right.

There is this thing socially that we have where we talk about how we want to like as kids, it's like this marker of I'm all grown up.

And so I think that conversation around saying to people it's time to retire from driving means you're losing that.

And it's this kind of you can't ignore the change.

Can't ignore the change.

I love that turn of phrase that you use.

And, and, you know, I think we'll use it quite a lot.

Retire from driving.

Why is that language important? Why is using that word versus like losing your license? Why have you adopted the language retire from driving?

I think the nice thing about retiring is a lot of people associated with a nice transition in life, too, right? Like you finally retired.

You're done with the work aspect of it.

And I want people to kind of think of that about driving, too.

It doesn't have to be a bad thing.

So knowing that, what are some of the conversations that families and loved ones can have in advance, whether it be with a certain diagnosis or even an age marker? Like, what are the conversations we should be having in advance to make that potential inevitability a little bit easier?

Look, if you've started something, there's going to be a point in your life where you're going to have to stop it.

Right.

It's just sort of like transitions of life kind of thing is what I talk to people about.

Certainly, I think the most natural way that I kind of think about it or the easiest way I kind of think about it.

Way back when we had you on first, I believe it was in January, you said that talking about driving in clinic is one of the most painful things you have to do in your job.

Why is that?

If you just kind of think just socially about all the things that people love to do.

Driving is like pretty high up there.

And it's one of these fundamental things that I think we kind of grow up being like, it's the thing that goes, ah, I'm independent.

I'm thinking of like my nephew who's like turning 14.

16 can't come fast enough for him.

Right.

There is this thing socially that we have where we talk about how we want to like as kids, it's like this marker of I'm all grown up.

And so I think that conversation around saying to people it's time to retire from driving means you're losing that.

And it's this kind of you can't ignore the change.

Can't ignore the change.

I love that turn of phrase that you use.

And, and, you know, I think we'll use it quite a lot.

Retire from driving.

Why is that language important? Why is using that word versus like losing your license? Why have you adopted the language retire from driving?

I think the nice thing about retiring is a lot of people associated with a nice transition in life, too, right? Like you finally retired.

You're done with the work aspect of it.

And I want people to kind of think of that about driving, too.

It doesn't have to be a bad thing.

So knowing that, what are some of the conversations that families and loved ones can have in advance, whether it be with a certain diagnosis or even an age marker? Like, what are the conversations we should be having in advance to make that potential inevitability a little bit easier?

Look, if you've started something, there's going to be a point in your life where you're going to have to stop it.

Right.

It's just sort of like transitions of life kind of thing is what I talk to people about.

Certainly, I think the most natural way that I kind of think about it or the easiest way I kind of think about it.