Help for the Elderly Getting in and out of Cars

Whether it’s because of changes to our minds or our bodies, part of aging is accepting the need to adapt. For many seniors, one of the most difficult changes to swallow is their relationship to driving. What may start as an aversion to driving long distances or being behind the wheel at night can lead to a lot of anxiety about losing their sense of independence.

While we all have to give up the wheel sometime, it shouldn’t be because of the all-too-common elderly struggle of getting in and out of the car. Thankfully, there are a lot of tools available to help provide a little extra car assistance for elderly drivers. In this post, we’ll help you explore options for helping your elderly loved ones get in and out of the car and offer tips on how to start the conversation with a difficult parent who can’t admit they need a little help.

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How to Talk About Car Assistance for the Elderly

As we age, there are more and more everyday activities that become challenging or even impossible to do. This can make saying something as simple as “I need help getting in and out of the car” a scary thing to admit to your family or caregivers. For some seniors, acknowledging they need help feels like an admission that they may need to start slowing down and giving up control they may not be ready to relinquish.

The best thing you can do is enter these conversations from a place of compassion and understanding. Your loved one may get defensive, lash out, or even shut down. It’s almost inevitable that there will be some discomfort on both sides of these kinds of talks, but recognizing your loved one needs help and facing it head on provides the best opportunity for them to avoid a serious injury and maintain their ability to drive.

Easiest Cars for Seniors to Get in and out of

Let’s start with the obvious question – is your senior driving a car that meets their needs?

Cars that are low to the ground or cars that require a large step up are simply accidents waiting to happen. You should be looking for cars that have wide door openings and seats just below hip level (or as close as possible) to reduce the need for seniors to have to climb up or plop down into their seat.

While you’re at it, consider other senior-friendly safety features. For example, LED lights can help seniors with vision issues see better when they have to drive after dark. Cars where the controls are close to the steering wheel make it easier for your senior to make adjustments without having to reach over. Driver-assistance technologies like a rearview camera, parking assist, and blind-spot monitoring can help seniors stay safe behind the wheel.

If you’re looking for a specific suggestion, Kelley Blue Book’s guide on the Best Cars for Seniors named the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, and the Honda CR-V as their top three picks for the safest and easiest car for elderly drivers to get in and out of.

Help For the Elderly Getting in and Out of Cars

If your senior’s car isn’t a safety issue and they just need a little extra help getting in and out of the car, there are dozens of reliable products out there to give a car assist for the elderly.

Extra Handles

The simplest (and most economical) solution is going to be a detachable handle that fits into the car’s door latch to provide extra stability and leverage while standing or sitting.

Transfer Board

A transfer board is a tool that makes the car’s seat wider and reduces the distance seniors will need to lift themselves to reach the seat. Rather than needing to sit down and get into the car at the same time, drivers can get seated first and then simply slide over the seat. When exiting the car, the driver can get their legs facing outward before they have to stand and frees up their hands to hold the door for extra leverage while standing up.

Swivel Seats & Seat Lifts

Swivel seats allow the driver to rotate the seat towards the opening door and provide a small area to sit down without having to crouch to enter the car. Once seated, the driver only needs to swivel into their seat.

Seat lifts are a similar solution which can be moved entirely outside of the car and lower down, if necessary. This makes them a particularly good option for higher cars like a van, truck, or SUV.

Steps

Another option is a set of collapsible steps to help get into high vehicles for seniors who have trouble stepping up or out of a car. This solution is fine if you’ve got a senior who needs the occasional assist to be a passenger in your car, but it is inadvisable for helping an elderly driver get in and out of their own car. This is simply because it will require unnecessary effort on their part than the other solutions on this list and presents a higher risk for falling.

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