No other driving issues as of this point, but gentleman has driven into his garage twice with the car hatch up and smashed the window and damaged the garage door. Today he almost did it a 3rd time in less than a week.
Any suggestions as to what could help to trigger or prompt him to not pull into his garage before checking his back vehicle hatch?
I thought about a tennis ball that would hit the drivers side window as he was pulling in or almost something like a railroad crossing sign.
I’m at a loss. Any input is very much appreciated. He is still very active in driving and has had no other incidents thus far. It’s just been with pulling into his open garage to park and not remembering he has his hatch up. Ty and blessings
2-3 times making the same mistake, indicates that he is not properly processing information. If he is unloading the car before driving into the garage, but forgetting to close the hatchback, it will not be long before he loads up the car and forgets to close the hatch.
It is time to check into other transportation options for him.
each time he has been in the driveway unloading the car with the hatch up- then goes back out to move it into the garage- forgetting the hatch is up.
there is no doubt more driving/ vehicle incidences will be occurring and I am in no denial about that. I’ve dealt with so many patients over the years and am only too aware of what is to come.
he has had no other accidents thus far, although driving into the garage 2 times- almost 3 is terrible !!!
but
i do hope to receive some suggestions as to how to help him right now. This is the beginning of a arduous journey and there is no doubt the car will be taken away when the time needs to be.
thank you and blessings.
thank you for your candor.
*I did not expect to have someone post on my site/ ? And be banned. I’m surprised someone noticed and reported it.
You know that will happen as you said it yourself. Just how serious will the next accident be? He has Alzheimer's. His brain is dying piece by piece. The next time he might step on the accelerator instead of the brake. Which innocent victim will he kill?
The time is now. Please take away his key. Maybe sell the car. Use the money to pay someone to drive him.
we are at the beginning stages of a long journey and still processing it all as the information comes in. Thank you for your honesty. A sit down with my parents, husband and brother is needed
plus- the final analysis from the neurologist and his opinion.
Now to your concern about your fathers driving. 2 times(almost 3) in a week is a lot to be making the same mistake. Sounds like it's time to have him evaluated by his Dr (make sure you are sharing with his Dr what's going on), and then let the Dr be the one to tell him that he shouldn't be driving anymore. He will probably listen to the Dr better than you telling him that news, so let the Dr be the "bad guy". This sounds like it's the start of his making poor decisions behind the wheel, and you certainly don't want anything worse to happen to him or anyone else. Best wishes.
my dad has his fu appt to his eeg and upcoming mri in a few weeks - his driving will no doubt be discussed.
I think the alarm type situation already mentioned by others is a possibility. A sensor that emits an alarm might be an option. I did some quick searches and found that there are in fact alarms for trunks, based on sensors.
I would contact a dealership first to see if they have such alarms for his particular car model, and if they do, get enough information that you can determine if it's something that can be installed by someone who's not a mechanic, or if your own mechanic can handle it (at likely a lower price). Or just research his car model in connection "trunk alarms".
The master dash board electronics indicate when a door is open, and that's on my antique 2005 Ford Focus. I'm sure there are much more new and sophisticated alerts.
Another option might be to install a sensor on the garage door that alerts when something at the level of an open trunk approaches. That might be harder to hear though, unless you have a pretty loud alarm.
I thought about something soft that might block passage of the car with an open trunk, but I'm not sure that would be very effective.
Good luck with this project, and please share the information you find and what decision you make.
HUGE NEWS!!!!!!!!!
a follow up- it has been discovered at a registered Ford dealership that my dad’s vehicle does have a manufacturing issue. The dealership called and stated they had the rear hatch going up and down on its own and were trying to figure out why?!?!?
so-
i am grateful I did thorough questioning of my parents, the dealership, online forums regarding the vehicle.
sometimes things are not what they seem.
there is no doubt my dad has memory loss and a diagnosis is coming the middle of November
BUT the vehicle revelation is HUGE and no doubt points to my dad NOT being as advanced as originally thought and to ask questions and then even more questions.
blessings!
Your poor dad must be so relieved to know that he was not leaving it up and destroying the garage.