my father in law is 83 and has had
Parkinson's for over a year. 6 months ago
he was given medication as his condition
has deteriorated. Unfortunately he had a
bad reaction to the medication which
resulted in a trip to hospital. He was
then transferred to a Cottage hospital to
have the medication introduced in a
controlled environment. he has been home 4
months and in that time he has hardly been
mobile at all, we have carers who come
twice a day morning and night to change
him, we have had problems with
incontinence, but our prime concern is his
attitude that he can and will drive his
car when he wants to.
whilst in hospital I discovered that he
had NOT informed his insurance that he had
the disease let alone that he had to have
medication for it. He refused to inform
DVLA until I explained that he was liable
for a �1000.00 fine if they found out he
had deliberately kept this from them.
He now insists that he has received a
letter from the DVLA saying he can drive,
but refuses to show us this letter, or to
inform his insurance company of his
medical status. What infuriates me is that
every one form his GP / Parkinson's
consultant / hospital doctor etc would
have been asked to contribute to the DVLA
and their opinions will have borne
signifigant wieght to the out come. How on
earth can they possibly state on his
ability to drive when not one of them have
actually assessed him physically?
Personally we do not think he has even had
a letter form DVLA, he is just saying he
has so he can drive. His reaction time is
obviously slower due to age let alone
illness, he lives on a busy street, cars /
pedestrians / children a recipe for
disaster, yet we are powerless to stop
him.
Due to problems and changes in both his
wife and his mobility etc, we now have a
care manager calling weekly, and even she
has told him that should she find out he
has driven the car she WILL report him as
in her opinion he is unfit to drive. His
reply to that is she only comes once a
week she'll never know!!
All we want is for some practical sense
and decisions to be implemented, yet it is
grey area after grey area and brick wall
after brick wall, leaving us waiting for
the day an accident happens, which it
will. It will be bad enough if he injures
himself or his wife, but God forbid he
hurts someone else. Determination in the
elderly is a good thing but sheer bloody
mindedness and stubborness is not.
