Report to DMV

Lgb35

have any of you resorted to reporting your loved one to the DMV due to their diagnosis? How did that go? Was it really anonymous?

SDianeL

I live in FL. Although my DH wasn’t driving I reported it to the DMV to have his license revoked so I could remove him from my insurance. Although I had DPOA and he was in a MC facility the DMV required a hearing via video and he had to be present. I cancelled the hearing. No way would I have put him through that. The doctor can report it if you don’t want to chance it.

JulietteBee

Thankfully, I have not had to do it, though I came close to it.

I was assured it is 100% anonymous. Here in my state, the DMV will issue notice that my LO needs to show up to do a driving test for renewal.

My mom stopped driving because I told her that her premium was being increased to $2400/year, primarily due to her age & increased risks. With her IL complex providing transportation, there was zero need for her to own a car, or to drive.

debriesea

Here is my experience with the DMV.
I addressed my concern about DH driving to his Dr who sent a letter to the DMV. The DMV was a joke! The DMV let him keep taking the written test until he passed it. (He finally figured out he could skip questions he didn’t know until he got a certain percentage right.). Then came the driving test. He was gone only 11 minutes and I followed him on Life360 as he drove through a neighbor and came back! He passed that also! The Dr then had him take an extensive Driving Assessment Test through Occupational Therapy. It was over 3 hours long, mostly in office assessment tests. (Which gave me a Cognitive Status Profile). The actually behind the wheel test was at the end, about 1/2 hr.
He had first done this assessment after he first diagnosed so we now had a baseline for his 2nd assessment. He passed it the first time but not the second, which was a year apart.

CarolinFL

My DH was diagnosed with dementia earlier this month. The neuropsychiatrist recommended doing the DriveAble Cognitive Assessment. That is scheduled for October 28th. When I made the appointment I asked how the test was done. My DH is not computer literate. She explained that it's done on an Ipad with the technician sitting next to him. Once he is comfortable with the examples, the test will begin. If the results are "he should not be driving", it is sent to his PCP, who then sends a report to the State of Florida. He will have 90 days to turn in his license and get a FL ID. Since I am doing 100% of the driving, I was able to convince him to take his car to Carmax and have them buy it from us. It helped that we had just gotten the renewal for his car. I am hoping that I can convince him to save the $125 (cost of the test) and just turn his license in between now and the end of October.

upstateAnn

tell your insurance company your partner had dementia. They might cancel it unless he surrenders his license.

Cat K

Are we required to contact the DMV when our spouse has dementia and have their license revoked? My DH got a card from the DMV to renew his license (we're in NC) but with him stage 6 (the best I can tell) I just didn't mention it to him. I can't even remember the last time he has even mentioned driving. There's no way he can drive, let alone pass a test. I've never heard of surrendering your license.

ronda b

He will have to have some kind of state ID. So i would call them to find out.

Cat K

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/254873#Comment_254873

I will. Thank you.

annie51

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/254872#Comment_254872

I think for us, we had to surrender the license card in order to get a State ID instead. I think they even cut the license in two and gave us the pieces.

cavenson

His geriatric psychiatrist reported DH to the DMV. While the letter he received did not state who had reported him, I told him the source once he started angrily accusing me and his children. He received an order of suspension unless he submitted an acceptable Customer Medical Report, which he could not do. The letter stated that he could exchange his driver's license for a state ID card. It has been five months, and he's never received a follow-up letter from the DMV stating that he has to turn in his license. Even though he no longer drives, DH does not want to relinquish his license for an ID. DH still uses his license, which has a valid date for a couple more years, as an ID. However, he also has a military ID that never expires that can substitute for a driver's license ID. This is in Virginia.

Arrowhead

When my wife's driver's license came up for renewal, I took my POA and letter from her doctor and requested that they give her a non-driver's ID. They did so with no argument.

Timmyd

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/254940#Comment_254940

DW has no interest in driving. Her license if coming up for renewal. I want to get her non-driver's license ID. As far as I can tell so far, in Texas DW will need to show up in person to DMV appointment. DW is stage 6 and I am dreading in person DMV experience with her.

Were you able to get the non-driver's ID without DW having to go to DMV in person ?

suvi

I went to the dmv with my dh to turn in his license and apply for a Real ID. I brought the dpoa just in case, but my dh was able to attest. I’m not sure he really understood what was happening, although the person at the dmv was very clear. She was so kind to us I got a little teary. My dh needed a current photo, (so that may be a factor in needing to appear in person), along with proof of residency, citizenship, etc.

At the end, we were presented with my dh’s new license, and the woman said wait, no, and we had to do it all over again. Haha I breathed a sigh of relief too soon. But I’m glad it’s done and our insurance notified.

JDancer

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/254562#Comment_254562

Telling PWD that insurance is no longer affordable, due to age, may be a good approach for taking away the car keys,

Lgb35

I had told DH that if our insurance knew then our premiums would go way too high but if we don’t tell them and something happens they may not cover anything. He asked me so what’s wrong with them not covering anything? Well 1) the simple fact he was asking that is a problem and 2) if they aren’t going to cover anything why even have insurance. The main issue I am having is whether or not he is capable of driving. I have talked to our primary, 2 neurologists and the neuropsychologist about it and they are on the fence.

JulietteBee

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/254956#Comment_254956

It worked for me & thankfully, it was the truth.💙

Kweisser

After we received the diagnosis, I did notify the DMV. It was anonymous, but I did ‘fess up, and told DH that once he received the diagnosis we were legally obligated to notify the DMV. They gave him the ability to retest. In CA they did not make him take a written test, just a driving test. He failed the first one, but passed the second time. They gave him a conditional license for 2 years, at which point he will be retested (We are a year into this). He is only permitted to drive down the street for coffee, or to the grocery store. He doesn’t try to go farther. He had sepsis earlier this year, so I told him the doctors would not permit him to drive for a month afterwards, to clear the brain fog. Nevertheless, while he can operate the vehicle, he still gets disoriented. I will be sending in another anonymous tip to the DMV for a retest, as I don’t believe he will be able to pass.

Arrowhead

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/254943#Comment_254943

When I first got it, she was with me, so they were able to take her picture. However, when I recently went to renew it, I was told she would need to be there for the picture. Now she is unable to go, so I was unable to renew it.

H1235

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/254991#Comment_254991

I would see if one of his doctors could order a driving assessment. I’m not really sure what it amounts to. I believe it was done in a healthcare type setting. Moms pcp ordered one, but the neurologist said no driving period. So we canceled it. I did consider reporting her. The form asked for evidence (scratches on car, accidents etc) and we didn’t have a dementia diagnosis at the time. I didn’t think they would really do anything since there had been no accidents. But then isn’t that the point, to stop them from driving before there is a horrible accident. Could you get away with just telling him the doctors office called and said it’s not safe for him to drive? The problem is if he passes an assessment then you have to worry and wonder when things have progressed enough that he should be reevaluated.

Timmyd

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/255479#Comment_255479

I was able to recently renew DW passport online. No in person visit required. I was allowed to include the digital photo online during the renewal process. The renewed passport is good for another 10 years. Soon I will have to decide if it is worth the hassle for DW to visit DMV in person to keep state ID current.

Seems a bit odd that something as important as a passport can be renewed online, but something simple like switching a DL to as state ID has to be in person.