Terence’s story: Driving with Dementia
Congratulations to our client Terence, who recently passed his driving assessment with us!
Having recently been diagnosed with dementia, Terence took the proactive step to self-refer to EAD to ensure he can continue to drive safely.
Terence, now 90 years old, journey with driving dates back to his time in the RAF in the 1950’s, where he learned to drive in Bahrain from the same man who taught the King of Bahrain! Driving has been central to his life, living overseas where he drove in many different countries, to becoming a medical sales rep after the RAF, covering hundreds of miles across the UK. He and his Wife also had a property in Spain, which they frequently drove to and from. He says how people would say he was mad, but he explains how he has always just enjoyed driving.
Even now, Terence and his wife continue to enjoy local drives, visiting the seaside, shops and more. Taking a driving assessment provided Terence with the assurance and confidence that, despite his dementia, he can safely continue to drive and pursue his hobbies. He will also be reviewed every 6 months to monitor his dementia’s impact on driving.
At EAD, we understand how important driving is to so many people’s lives. Our aim is to keep people driving safely for as long as possible, keeping their independence. Whilst, eventually people living with dementia will have to retire from driving, we are here to help monitor and guide them to ensure they retire from driving at the right time to keep them and other road users safe.
For those retiring from driving we also offer a FREE mobility hubs advice service, to create an individualised travel and transport plan so they can still get around without driving!
If you or someone you know is living with dementia and they want to check that their condition isn’t affecting their ability to drive safely, get in contact with our friendly team today and book an assessment!