Navigating the pathway to ceasing driving-A voyage of discovery.
Susan Waterworth, Mike Dakin
PMID 35603642WHAT IT FOUND
A widowed older man with Parkinson's disease and macular degeneration described ceasing driving as multiple overlapping transitions, not a linear process.
Hidden work included letting go, managing uncertainty, learning buses, a scooter and a subsidised taxi scheme.
Key findings
01Mike's decision to cease driving followed safety concerns, including a minor collision with a police car.
02Mike's companion dog was not legally recognised for bus travel, so some bus drivers refused him entry.
03Mike's mobility scooter became unusable because of steep terrain, uneven footpaths and motor problems.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
This is one person's experience, so it cannot show what will happen for other older adults. Mike was a co-author and had personal strengths, veteran travel benefits and family contact that may not be typical. He was cognitively intact and chose to stop driving, so it says little about people forced to stop by medical assessment or with dementia. The transport rules, schemes and environment are specific to New Zealand. No intervention was tested, and no comparison group or outcome measurement was used.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflict of interest. The supplied text does not state a funding source.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that nurse-led travel planning prevents isolation or improves mobility. It is one person, not a pattern, and no intervention was tested.