The purpose of the study presented in this scientific poster was to answer the following question: What do families think and what do older drivers think the role of the family is in the process of older drivers' reduction and cessation of driving? Sixteen focus groups were conducted with four groups in each of the following categories: drivers 65 years of age or older, couples 65 years of age or older who share driving responsibilities, former drivers 65 years of age or older who have stopped driving within the last 5 years, and adult children of drivers who are 65 years of age or older. Two groups from each category were conducted in a small town/rural area and two were conducted in an urban/suburban area. The study results indicated that there was general agreement between families and older adults on the expected role of the family in the process of reduction and cessation of driving in older adults. Both generally reported that the family should discuss the topic with the older adult driver. However. in practice, such a conversation rarely took place or went well when it did. The adult children of older drivers tended to think that they were communicating their concerns about the need for their parents or in-laws to reduce or cease driving through their indirect tactics. Yet the older drivers were generally not getting the message or responding negatively when the message did get through.
Samenvatting