Michael’s Story: Driving with Early Alzheimer’s disease

Michael attended our centre in Nov 2018, when he was in the early stages of Alzheimer’s after being referred by the DVLA. His wife Sharon remarked: “Being diagnosed with dementia doesn’t mean that Michael has to stop driving immediately, however, the DVLA do require confirmation that my husband is safe to continue. We didn’t have to wait long for an assessment at the Colchester centre.”

After his assessment his wife stated: “We were very impressed with the thoroughness of the assessment and the supportive attitude of the EAD team. Michael was shown road signs to identify and asked the speed limits for various types of roads. His eyesight was checked to see if he could read number plates at the legally required distance and his peripheral vision was tested. We were pleased that he passed the required target levels within this part of the assessment.”

In the 2nd part of the assessment, he was accompanied by a driving instructor in a dual-controlled car. His steering, braking, and reactions were monitored as well as his speed and decision-making. The outcome of Michael’s assessment was that everything was fine, and he was able to continue driving.Due to the nature of Alzheimer’s disease, people living with the condition will one day have to give up their licences. However, like Michael, it is possible to continue driving safely for some time.

If you or someone you know has recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and would like to continue driving and gain the peace of mind as to whether the condition is affecting their driving, please contact us to book an assessment:

Client Story from Driving Mobility:  https://www.drivingmobility.org.uk/customer-stories/east-anglian-driveability-ensures-michael-is-safe-to-drive-with-early-alzheimers/