A Surprising Number of Adults With Cognitive Impairment Still Drive, Study Finds

A University of Michigan Medicine study conducted in South Texas has found that a majority of adults suffering from cognitive impairment are still driving.

Researchers assessed over 600 adults living in Nueces County aged 65 years and above who had cognitive assessment scores which showed a likelihood of impairment. They discovered that 61.4 percent of the patients who did suffer from cognitive impairment were current drivers.

Scientists believe cognitive impairment could impact neuropsychological and visual skills which are needed to safely drive. In 2017, a study measuring the risk of car accidents determined that dementia had a medium-to-large effect on driving impairment. Similarly, those who had dementia were more likely to fail an on-the-road driving test than those without cognitive impairments.

It is estimated that one in every nine Americans aged 65 and above are living with Alzheimer’s disease.

“It is likely appropriate that some with mild cognitive impairment are still driving, but for some it may not be,” the study’s senior author, Lewis Bayard Morgenstern, M.D., said in a press release. Dr. Morgenstern is a specialist in vascular neurology, and a professor at University of Michigan Medical School.

Related: Map Shows U.S. States, Counties Where Alzheimer's Is Most Common

Though many of the study’s participants limited their overall driving time, avoiding nighttime trips and rainy days altogether, scientists found that over 35 percent of caregivers still had misgivings about their care recipient operating a motor vehicle.

Although conversations about lifestyle changes between caregivers and those with cognitive impairment can often be tricky to navigate, researchers warn against avoiding the discussion altogether. They say it’s best to talk about it when the care recipient is able to participate in the decision-making process.

“Close family may have discussions with aging loved ones about Advance Driving Directives,” Dr. Morgenstern advises. “These are agreements between an aging person and a loved one about having conversations about driving cessation.”

News of Morgenstern’s study comes after a groundbreaking map of U.S. states most affected by Alzheimer’s and dementia was published on Monday. It is the first time researchers have been able to track the disease at a county-by-county level, and they say it could have dramatic implications for the future of dementia research.