Getting Around When Driving Changes: Staying Independent

· 5 min read

Aging Wildly: Ikigai and Kaizen Principles for an Unstoppable Life After 60, by Anne Jensen.

Buy Anne's book on Amazon · About the book

For many of us, the car keys stand for more than transportation. They mean freedom. They mean getting to the grocery store when we feel like it, visiting a friend on a whim, or driving to church without asking anyone for a favor. So when driving starts to change, it can feel like the world is getting smaller.

It doesn't have to. In Aging Wildly, Anne Jensen lists transportation right alongside health, money, housing and connection as one of the essentials of a full later life. That makes sense. How you get around shapes who you see, what you do and how independent you feel. The good news is that transportation is something you can plan for, one small step at a time.

Driving changes for almost everyone

Some people drive safely well into their eighties and beyond. Others notice changes earlier. Night glare gets harder to handle. Highway merges feel more stressful. A new medication makes you drowsy. A hip or shoulder makes it hard to turn and check your blind spot.

None of this is a personal failure. It is simply part of a long life. The people who stay most independent are usually not the ones who drive the longest. They are the ones who start thinking about options early, before a crisis forces the decision.

Signs it may be time to adjust

You don't have to stop driving all at once. Many people simply adjust. Watch for signs like these:

  • Getting lost on familiar routes
  • Close calls, new dents or scrapes on the car
  • Other drivers honking more often
  • Feeling anxious or worn out after short trips
  • Family or friends quietly offering to drive
  • Trouble seeing signs, especially at dusk or at night

If you notice a few of these, talk with your doctor. Ask whether your vision, hearing or medications might be playing a part. Some issues can be fixed with new glasses or a medication change. Your doctor can also point you toward a driving evaluation if that would help.

Small changes that keep you driving safely

Kaizen, the Japanese idea of getting a little better every day, fits here beautifully. Instead of a big all-or-nothing choice, you can make small adjustments that keep you safe and on the road longer.

  • Drive during daylight and skip rush hour
  • Plan routes with right turns and fewer busy left turns
  • Stay off the interstate if it feels stressful
  • Keep trips close to home and combine errands
  • Take a refresher course for older drivers
  • Make sure your seat, mirrors and headrest fit you well

Building your transportation plan

Think of transportation like a toolbox. The more tools you have, the less any one of them has to do. A good plan usually mixes several of these:

  • Family and friends who are glad to help, especially for regular trips
  • Ride-share or taxi services, which many older adults learn to use with a little practice
  • Public transit and paratransit for people who qualify
  • Volunteer driver programs, often run by faith groups and nonprofits
  • Senior center shuttles and rides to medical appointments
  • Grocery and pharmacy delivery, so fewer trips are needed at all

A great first call is your local Area Agency on Aging. They keep track of transportation programs in your area and can explain who qualifies for what. In Colorado Springs and across Southern Colorado, city and county services often have options that many seniors simply don't know about. Anne saw this firsthand at her Aging Wildly event, where city services introduced resources many people had never heard of.

Learning new ways to get around

Trying a bus route or ride-share app for the first time can feel intimidating. That's normal. Practice when the stakes are low. Ride along with a friend or grandchild the first time. Take a short trip to a coffee shop instead of a doctor's appointment. Once you've done it twice, it becomes ordinary.

It also helps to look at the money side. Owning a car means insurance, gas, repairs, registration and parking. Many people find that once they add it up, a mix of rides costs about the same or less. A fee-only financial advisor or a benefits counselor can help you compare the numbers honestly.

Staying connected matters most

The real risk of losing the car isn't missing errands. It's losing people. When rides get harder, invitations get declined, and isolation can creep in. Our post on beating loneliness after 60 explores why connection is so important and how to protect it.

So build your plan around the things that bring you joy, not just the things you need. Include rides to your pickleball group, your book club, your place of worship and your grandkids' games. Those trips are not luxuries. They are part of what keeps a life full.

Talking with family about driving

If you're an adult child worried about a parent's driving, lead with respect. Ask questions instead of making announcements. Focus on keeping them independent, not on taking something away. Offer to help research options together. If a parent is moving to a smaller or more walkable home, transportation can be part of that conversation too. Our post on right-sizing your home covers how location can make getting around much easier.

Whatever stage you're in, remember the spirit of Aging Wildly: later life is about making your own choices. Changing how you get around is one more choice, and you can make it on your own terms.

Your kaizen steps this week

  • Write down every place you went in the past two weeks, and how you got there. That list is the start of your transportation plan.
  • Call your local Area Agency on Aging and ask one question: what ride options are available near me?
  • Try one new way of getting around, with a friend along, for a short and easy trip.

Aging Wildly: Ikigai and Kaizen Principles for an Unstoppable Life After 60, by Anne Jensen.

Buy Anne's book on Amazon · About the book

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