My parents-in-law have gone missing en route from Canada to Florida...contacts?
#31
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Traveling the World
Posts: 6,072
Like donating it to PBS, American Cancer Society etc. Its a great way to help another person who needs a car while taking the burden off the elderly individuals and getting a tax write off, free towing of the car etc.
#32
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Poland
Posts: 869
Exactly. I think they did it for someone in their church, but the same concept. Again though, he and his sibling had tried for a couple of years to get his Dad to stop driving for safety reasons. This was just the approach that finally worked. I think I read somewhere that in Asia they offer free meals if you'll turn in your license after a certain age.
#33
Suspended
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
So another update...they are fine but confused and still in a bit of shock. Car is not in great shape. We've been in touch with their doctor back home (a family friend) and I'll fly out Monday to discharge them and then get them on a flight home and into familiar local care. The real pain is going to be sorting out hospital and car insurance issues.
You've all been a great help with suggestions and encouragements. Thanks, it is much appreciated.
You've all been a great help with suggestions and encouragements. Thanks, it is much appreciated.
#40
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 38,410
Yeah. The last few years I knew my father shouldn't be on the road. No way to get him off, though. The thing is he could drive the car properly, just couldn't properly handle when things went wrong. While I do not know exactly what happened my theory was that he could only process a certain amount of information and when presented with more than that (which means any time things went wrong) he would simply fail to note some of it, even if it was quite critical information (such as that there's already a car in that lane--fortunately, only fender-benders resulted, but that meant nothing big enough to get him off the road.)
#41
Moderator: Information Desk, Women Travelers, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Chicago, IL, USA
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 15,639
So another update...they are fine but confused and still in a bit of shock. Car is not in great shape. We've been in touch with their doctor back home (a family friend) and I'll fly out Monday to discharge them and then get them on a flight home and into familiar local care. The real pain is going to be sorting out hospital and car insurance issues.
You've all been a great help with suggestions and encouragements. Thanks, it is much appreciated.
You've all been a great help with suggestions and encouragements. Thanks, it is much appreciated.
Not sure if the Florida home is rented out when it's otherwise unoccupied, there are some great remote monitoring solutions available if it's essentially empty for many months of the year. You can get smart home technology that notifies you when doors are opened, allows you to remotely unlock the door for someone in case of an emergency, etc. Not sure I'd recommend that if you rent the unit (at least, not the door open/closed notification, which could be a privacy violation), but might otherwise be useful.
#42
Suspended
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
No, it's not rented out. Building access os only via electric key fob, and then you have to get past the management office, where the building manager is very aware of who should and shouldn't be there. We just lock up and go! I've thought of having things like remote video cameras installed, but there's not much point. If we ever have an issue or concern (did we leave the dryer on, did we forget a steak in the fridge) we call the office and someone sorts it out for us.
So the update is that I'm flying out tomorrow to hopefully have them discharged into my care. They sounded very relieved that someone is coming to give them a bit of a hand. Both car and health insurance companies have been super helpful so far, despite never having heard of me before. Once they are fit to fly (hopefully in the next few days), they're being sent back to Canada by air).
Thanks again for the advice and offers of help, both here and by PM. It means a great deal.
So the update is that I'm flying out tomorrow to hopefully have them discharged into my care. They sounded very relieved that someone is coming to give them a bit of a hand. Both car and health insurance companies have been super helpful so far, despite never having heard of me before. Once they are fit to fly (hopefully in the next few days), they're being sent back to Canada by air).
Thanks again for the advice and offers of help, both here and by PM. It means a great deal.
#44
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Ontario, Canada
Programs: Aeroplan, IHG, Enterprise, Avios, Nexus
Posts: 8,355
So the update is that I'm flying out tomorrow to hopefully have them discharged into my care. They sounded very relieved that someone is coming to give them a bit of a hand. Both car and health insurance companies have been super helpful so far, despite never having heard of me before. Once they are fit to fly (hopefully in the next few days), they're being sent back to Canada by air).
Hope the trip goes smoothly for you.
#45
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: BUF
Programs: SkyTean, Star Alliance, HHonors
Posts: 155
What a huge relief that your in-laws have been located.
Even without a drivers license, they need a tracker on them. iPhones offer the ability for the owner to be tracked. I make my 20-something daughter give me permission to track them when they are traveling long distances. I bet other more sophisticated phones do also.
An alternative is a necklace tracker, available at websites that service families with dementia concerns.
Even without a drivers license, they need a tracker on them. iPhones offer the ability for the owner to be tracked. I make my 20-something daughter give me permission to track them when they are traveling long distances. I bet other more sophisticated phones do also.
An alternative is a necklace tracker, available at websites that service families with dementia concerns.
https://support.google.com/maps/answ...DAndroid&hl=en