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Ethical Considerations for the Driver with Dementia

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Ethical Considerations and Challenges in Geriatrics

Abstract

For most of us, being able to drive is necessary for our well-being. Skills such as judgment and the ability to think and react quickly are essential to safely operate a vehicle. For the person with dementia, those skills become compromised at some point in their disease resulting in the need to limit, and eventually stop, driving. How that decision is made presents the physician, other health-care providers, driver, and family with difficult choices. A significant factor in the decision-making process is assessing the risk to public safety versus the ability of the person with dementia to maintain the independence and quality of life that driving his/her own vehicle provides. This chapter discusses ethical issues associated with driving and dementia, clarifies ethical responsibilities, and makes recommendations for assessing and managing impaired driving.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. South Central Mental Illness Research, Education & Clinical Center, Houston VA Health Services Research & Development Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness and Safety, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA

    Geri Adler PhD, MSW

  2. Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center (GRECC), Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Susan J. Rottunda BS

Authors
  1. Geri Adler PhD, MSW
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  2. Susan J. Rottunda BS
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Geri Adler PhD, MSW .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine Section of Geriatrics, Baylor College of Medicine and Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, Texas, USA

    Angela Georgia Catic

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Adler, G., Rottunda, S.J. (2017). Ethical Considerations for the Driver with Dementia. In: Catic, A. (eds) Ethical Considerations and Challenges in Geriatrics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-44084-2_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-44084-2_7

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-44083-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-44084-2

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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