Seniors Site

Finding the Perfect Car for Caregivers

I have heard somewhere that a car represents the person who drives it; somehow I believe this. When I was in college, it didn’t matter if your car was battered and doorless just as long as people can sit in it and it could go places. Of course, as the children started coming in, one would also start thinking of trading cars for something that would fit all the kids in with plenty of room for wrestling matches. Then comes the “matured, dignified” car look of someone undergoing midlife crisis which involves executive cars or worst, expensive, sport cars. Caregivers are no different, they too have their own set of requirements for a car to make their job a little easier to do!

Below are some of the most important car features for caregivers, compiled by caregivers themselves:

• Accessibility. Just because the senior in question can still jump in and out of the car with just little difficulty, doesn’t mean you don’t need a car that has wider doors or one that has easy stepping level – and when you say “easy” stepping level, that should mean not too high nor too low for the senior to climb into the car. Minivans are your best bet as they have sliding doors which get the door out of the way when trying to load and unload passengers.
• Plenty of cargo space. Always remember that your passenger has special needs and most of the time, they need their gadgets with them thus the need for more cargo space. Also, do take note how easy/difficult it would be for you to open and/or close the cargo compartment with minimum effort, say, one hand, since you are most likely be minding your senior while trying to get things in and out of the compartment area.
• Navigator or navigation system. Most of the cars nowadays are sold with GPS. This navigation tool helps caregivers when they are transporting their seniors to some unknown clinic or in case of a medical emergency. If your newly purchase car doesn’t come with this, go for portable GPS as they are cheaper and can be brought anywhere.
• Some entertainment while on board. The beauty of technology today is that they made it really easy for us to access them. Tablet computers are an excellent way to keep passengers entertained while giving you some room to breathe and drive in peace. Books, movie clips and games can be downloaded and played during travel.
• Your comfortability. Of course, you, as the driver, should be comfortable enough to drive the car. Make seat adjustments if needed and install all the right gears to help you make your driving experience more rewarding. A friend has just recently put a back massage pad and turns it on everytime she drives; now she’s looking forward to these trips and getting a relaxing massage!