Some aging drivers are signing contracts to help determine when their time behind the wheel should come to an end. 

These “advance directives” are to help protect drivers’ safety and facilitate what can often be tough decisions for families.

Lewis Morgenstern, 61, a professor of neurology, neurosurgery and emergency medicine at the University of Michigan, plans to sign such an agreement when he turns 65, as reported by KFF Health News.

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Morgenstern will stop driving whenever his children decide it’s time, according to the directive.

“I recognize that I might not be able to make the best decision about driving at a certain point, and I want to make it clear that I trust my children to take over that responsibility,” Morgenstern told KFF Health News. 

Morgenstern was also the co-author of a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society in Nov. 2023. It measured the driving behaviors of 635 individuals with cognitive impairment.

“I recognize that I might not be able to make the best decision about driving at a certain point.”

Researchers from the University of Michigan found that 61% of older adults with cognitive impairment were still operating a vehicle — even though 36% of their caregivers were concerned about their driving ability.

“There is undoubtedly a group of people who are driving and shouldn’t be because they’re a risk to themselves and to others,” Morgenstern said.

Risks associated with senior driving

Data shows that risks are on the rise. As of 2021, nearly 50 million people age 65 and older had driver’s licenses, a 38% uptick from 2012, according to the American Automobile Association.

Almost 19 million of those drivers were 75 or older. 

Some aging adults are signing contracts related to when they will give up their car keys, KFF Health News reported. (iStock)

Between 2012 and 2021, motor vehicle deaths involving drivers age 65 and older increased by 34%. The number of seniors injured in vehicle crashes that year exceeded 266,000 in 2021, KFF Health News reported.

Some of the biggest risks exist among older drivers who develop medical conditions that interfere with their driving ability, including dementia, Parkinson’s disease, glaucoma and arthritis.

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“Among the bigger safety concerns are fender benders that they do not remember,” Tina Paff, president of Bick’s Driving School of Western Hills in Ohio, told Fox News Digital.

“Sure, it could be a mailbox or a pole, but sometimes it is a car or a pedestrian.”

Driving at night can also be dangerous, she noted, as the visual processing speed in older drivers is decreased. 

Older adults have a higher risk of injury in the event they’re involved in an accident, according to experts. (iStock)

Getting lost while driving is another common occurrence among senior drivers, said Paff, who heads up the Bick’s Driver Rehabilitation Program. It evaluates older adults’ driving skills to determine whether or not those drivers should “retire” from operating vehicles.

Nigel Tunnacliffe, co-founder and CEO of Coastline Academy, a national driving school headquartered in California, pointed out some of the biggest dangers associated with older drivers.

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Those include hearing loss, difficulty taking in their full surroundings, greater risk of injury in the event of an accident, the use of older car models, and a lack of experience behind the wheel, which is often a factor when an older adult loses a spouse and is suddenly the sole driver, he noted.

‘No single, universal age’

There is “no single, universal age” at which people should stop driving, Tunnacliffe told Fox News Digital.

“It’s often not something that we can tell in advance. We cannot say with certainty that, for example, as soon as someone hits the age of 75, they should automatically and voluntarily step away from driving.”

He added, “It’s perfectly plausible — and common — that they will remain competent and effective drivers at that age.”

A driving expert suggests families make driving decisions based on an “actual, objective evaluation” of how an individual is faring behind the wheel.  (iStock)

While Tunnacliffe acknowledged that age-related effects like vision loss, hearing loss and decreased mobility can make driving more dangerous, not everyone experiences these limitations at the same age, if at all. 

Rather than setting an arbitrary date beforehand, Tunnacliffe recommends that families make the decision based on an “actual, objective evaluation” of how the individual is faring behind the wheel. 

“We cannot say with certainty that as soon as someone hits the age of 75, they should automatically and voluntarily step away from driving.”

“For instance, having older adults take refresher courses can not only help make the decision of when to stop driving clearer, but it can also improve their driving skills more generally, and the assessments from those lessons can be shared with family members to help make the end-of-driving decision,” he told Fox News Digital. 

Types of driving contracts

There are various types of advance driving directives.

“One asks a person to name a family member or friend who will talk to them about whether it’s safe to continue driving,” noted KFF Health News. 

This type is not legally binding.

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With another type of contract, family members agree to help the person continue driving in a safe way or help the individual find an alternate means of transportation.

The Alzheimer’s Association has published a non-binding directive that encourages people with dementia to designate someone to flag any driving-related concerns as the disease progresses.

Part of the agreement states the following: “I understand that I may forget that I cannot drive anymore and may try to continue driving. If this happens, please know that I support all actions taken, including removing or disabling my car, to help ensure my safety and the safety of others.”

Age-related effects like vision loss, hearing loss and decreased mobility can make driving more dangerous, one expert told Fox News Digital. (iStock)

Paff said she thinks advance directives are “a great idea,” although she has some concerns that people with memory disorders won’t remember signing it.

“It would provide proof, however, for the families dealing with a disgruntled adult driver,” she said.

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These types of contracts could prove helpful if the driver was of sound mind when signing it, said Paff — but warned that in some cases, the memory-impaired parent may think it was “made up” or that “everyone is against me.” These are objections that she commonly hears, she said.

“There is undoubtedly a group of people who are driving and shouldn’t be because they’re a risk to themselves and to others.”

To minimize conflict and uncertainty, Paff recommends getting a formal evaluation from a third-party driver rehabilitation specialist to “take the family out of the mix.”

Tunnacliffe also recommends enrolling senior drivers in annual driving lessons, as well as having open and honest conversations about their cognitive and physical abilities.

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“The contract model does not challenge misleading assumptions and biases against older drivers, and it is important that we adopt a more realistic approach that respects both their safety and their autonomy,” he said.

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Even kings have prostate problems.

King Charles III was admitted on Friday to The London Clinic, a private hospital, where he underwent a scheduled procedure due to an enlarged prostate, Buckingham Palace confirmed.

The treatment was successful and the king is “doing quite well,” a royal source told Fox News Digital. 

The palace emphasized that his condition is non-cancerous.

KING CHARLES ‘DOING QUITE WELL’ AFTER SUCCESSFUL PROSTATE TREATMENT

Google searches for “prostate check” surged last week after the palace first disclosed the planned treatment, per multiple reports.

The 75-year-old British monarch hopes to encourage men who are experiencing symptoms to seek medical attention, according to royal experts.

What is BPH?

Benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH, is a non-cancerous condition that occurs when the prostate becomes enlarged.

“We don’t know what causes some men to have larger prostates than others,” Seth Bechis, M.D., associate professor of urology with the UC San Diego School of Medicine and urologist at UC San Diego Health, told Fox News Digital. (He was not involved in King Charles’ care.)

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“The prostate is one of the few organs in the human body that continues to grow during adulthood,” he added.

As the prostate grows, the enlarged prostate tissue may compress the urethra, which is the tube that connects to the bladder that helps urine drain from the body.

The British monarch hopes to encourage men who are experiencing symptoms to seek medical attention, according to royal experts. (Getty Images)

BPH decreases the flow of urine through the urethra, making it more difficult to empty the bladder. 

This may cause men to strain more when urinating.

Other common symptoms of BPH include urinating frequently, urinating at night, difficulty starting a urine flow, having a weak urine stream that stops and starts, dribbling at the end of urination and difficulty emptying the bladder.

Treatment for the condition

Urologists often use the American Urological Association (AUA) Symptom Index to help determine the treatment that is most appropriate, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine’s website.

It is also important for men to take an inventory of the type of fluid they’re consuming. 

The most conservative and least invasive approach is to implement simple lifestyle changes.

Some men may not realize the extent of their daily fluid intake, so simply avoiding drinking too much, especially before bed, can help relieve symptoms, according to Mayo Clinic.

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It is also important for men to take an inventory of the type of fluid they’re consuming, as drinking lots of caffeine and alcohol can make the condition worse, particularly at night.

If lifestyle modifications do not improve symptoms, the next step is taking medication to help open the passageway through the prostate so it’s easier for urine to drain, Mayo Clinic stated. 

There are several procedures to treat an enlarged prostate, each with its own side effects and potential complications. (iStock)

Some medications, known as alpha-blockers, accomplish this by relaxing the muscles in the prostate, while another class, known as 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors, works by shrinking the prostate.

This medical treatment is often not as effective as surgery, however, the expert noted.

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There are several procedures to treat an enlarged prostate, each with its own side effects and potential complications.

It’s important to consider whether the procedure requires general anesthesia, if it preserves ejaculatory function and whether it involves a catheter, experts recommend.

Bechis reviewed several of the surgical options for Fox News Digital.

Prostatic urethral lift (UroLift)

The UroLift is performed in the office or operating room without general anesthesia.

“A camera (cystoscope) is inserted into the urethra and advanced to the level of the prostate,” Bechis said.

It’s important to consider whether the procedure requires general anesthesia and whether it involves a catheter, experts recommend. (iStock)

Instead of cutting, heating or removing any tissue, the urologist uses special clips to hold the enlarged part of the prostate out of the way so the urine can drain more easily, according to Yale Medicine.

The procedure preserves ejaculatory function and does not require a catheter; but only a select group of patients are eligible based on prostate size and shape, according to Bechis.

Water vapor thermal therapy (Rezūm)

This procedure is performed in a doctor’s office or operating room. It does not require general anesthesia.

A camera is inserted into the urethra and advanced to the level of the prostate, where steam is injected to destroy obstructing tissue around the urethra, Bechis said.

“We don’t know what causes some men to have larger prostates than others.”

“You will have a catheter in place after the surgery for [two to five] days and will continue an alpha-blocker medication, such as tamsulosin,” he added.

Ejaculatory function is preserved for most patients, but recovery includes a placed catheter for several days and an alpha blocker.

There will be a projected 299,010 new cases of prostate cancer in the U.S. in 2024, and about 35,250 deaths, says the American Cancer Society (ACS). (iStock)

It can take up to three to six months to see maximal improvement in symptoms, according to Bechis.

Although this is a relatively new procedure with good reported outcomes, longer term data is not yet available, the doctor noted.

Photovaporization of the prostate (PVP)

“A cystoscope is inserted into the bladder through the urethra and a special laser is used to vaporize prostate tissue,” Bechis said of this approach.

The procedure does not cut or scrape tissue, according to Mayo Clinic.

Because PVP results in much less bleeding, it’s a good option for those who take anticoagulation medications, Bechis added.

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Patients will need to have a catheter in place after surgery and will likely stay one night in the hospital.

Possible complications include blood loss as well as infection, bladder injury or urine incontinence.

Waterjet therapy (aquablation)

With this approach, a cystoscope is inserted into the bladder through the urethra. 

An ultrasound is then used to direct a focused water jet, which circumferentially destroys prostate tissue, Bechis said.

It’s fast and efficient, but relatively new — “so long-term outcomes are not fully collected yet,” he noted.

“The prostate is one of the few organs in the human body that continues to grow during adulthood.”

Men usually can preserve ejaculatory function after this procedure, but will have a catheter in place after surgery and will usually stay one night in the hospital.

Potential complications include blood loss, infection, bladder injury or incontinence of urine.

Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP)

With this procedure, a camera is inserted into the bladder through the urethra. 

A surgical instrument is then used to create an electric current that “chips away” at the prostate until the urethra is no longer obstructed, Bechis said. 

The procedure is performed without any incisions.

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“You will have a catheter in place after surgery and stay one night in the hospital until the bleeding has stopped,” Bechis said.

Possible complications include blood loss, infection, bladder injury or incontinence of urine.

After a robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy, patients can expect to recover in the hospital for one to two days, with a catheter placed after surgery for seven to 10 days. (iStock)

As the bladder is “retrained” to void, the leakage of urine gradually decreases.

Robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy

This procedure is often reserved for larger prostates.

“This is a more involved surgery that goes through the abdomen, with risk of complications including need for blood transfusion, injury to bowel or abdominal structures, or bladder leak,” Bechis said.

During this procedure, multiple small incisions are made in the abdomen and small robotic instruments are used to remove the prostate through an incision in the bladder, the doctor said.

Patients can expect to recover in the hospital for one to two days, with a catheter placed after surgery for seven to 10 days, according to Bechis. 

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There will be a projected 299,010 new cases of prostate cancer in the U.S. in 2024, and about 35,250 deaths, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS).

Stephanie Giang-Paunon of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.

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Respiratory illnesses that include a fever plus a cough or soar throat, causing people to seek medical care in the United States, have increased in the last two weeks in most parts of the country, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control said on Friday.

“This week, 22 jurisdictions experienced high or very high activity compared to 37 jurisdictions two weeks ago,” the agency said in an update. 

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While COVID-19, RSV and flu positivity rates remained elevated nationally, COVID and RSV positivity rates decreased compared to last week, and flu rates stayed about the same.

It’s now possible for women to get pregnant via insemination in the comfort of their own homes.

The FDA recently approved the first-ever, at-home sterile insemination kit. 

PherDal Fertility Science received clearance last month after various tests did not raise “any new questions on the safety or effectiveness” of the product, as stated in the FDA’s approval letter.

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PherDal’s creator and CEO, Dr. Jennifer Hintzsche of Dixon, Illinois, confirmed to Fox News Digital that there have been 34 babies born from the first 200 proof-of-concept kits that were released.

“Even saying that still gives me goosebumps,” Hintzsche said in an interview.

The at-home kit is intended for users who are struggling to conceive or have chosen not to conceive naturally. 

The kit includes three sterile, circular cups and three syringes, all packaged separately, for an independent-use option.

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While other brands offer at-home insemination kits, PherDal is the only multi-patented, sterile, FDA-cleared at-home insemination device on the market, according to the company. 

“Sterility matters because studies show that disruptions (dysbiosis) in the reproductive microbiome are linked directly to infertility,” said Hintzsche.

The Hintszches are pictured with their daughter, Lois, on the left. Right, the PherDal syringe and circular sterile cup enable full access to samples. “If you’re paying $3,000 for a few milliliters of a sample, every drop counts,” Hintzsche said. (Don Umland Photography/PherDal)

PherDal’s first batch of kits sold out in just 90 days, which is when Hintszche realized she might be “on to something.”

“It really is a simple device, but there’s so much science behind its effectiveness,” she said. 

Driven by desire for family

Hintzsche said she assumed that after she married her husband in Oct. 2016, she would get pregnant, have multiple babies and live happily ever after “behind a white picket fence.”

But after 14 months of unsuccessful conception efforts, she sought out a fertility specialist who ran some tests.

That’s when Hintzsche discovered that she had “unexplained infertility,” as the doctor said that “everything looks normal” and “we don’t know what’s wrong.”

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The doctor then handed Hintzsche an application for a $10,000 loan to begin IVF treatment.

As a biologist with a PhD, Hintzsche started digging into infertility research in search of an alternative to “invasive” treatments.

After marrying her husband in Oct. 2016, Hintzsche tried unsuccessfully for 14 months to get pregnant before seeking out a fertility specialist. (PherDal)

“Instead of going into the uterus, if you put [sperm] right at the opening of the cervix, and it was done [in a] sterile [manner] in the clinic, it had the same live birth rate [as IVF],” she said. “And I was like, ‘Why has no one ever offered me this?’”

The scientist ordered lab supplies and gave her prototype a try.

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Hintzsche got pregnant in Dec. 2017, after only two attempts with the kit. 

Her daughter, Lois, was born on Sept. 11, 2018.

Motivated by that success, Hintzsche launched a new career with the goal of helping other people who were facing the same struggles.

Dr. Jennifer Hintszche of Illinois and her family are pictured cheering on the Chicago Bears in 2023. (Dr. Jennifer Hintzsche)

“I think everyone deserves something they can try first, and it shouldn’t take $10,000 just to [have the chance] to become a mother.”

Through feedback from PherDal customers, Hintzsche has fine-tuned her product to accommodate a variety of scenarios.

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Many women report feeling “shame” when they face infertility, Hintzsche said — which is something PherDal aims to eliminate.

From other PherDal moms, Hintzsche has also heard that at-home insemination “takes the pressure off” couples who have gone to great lengths to conceive without success.

Many PherDal dads have reported that they’d rather not return to a clinic to provide a sample, since “that’s not the way they envisioned growing a family,” Hintszche said.

Another family, shown here, used PherDal to conceive their child.  (Camber Lynn Ostwinkle, Wink Photographs)

“It gives people this private, safe option that doesn’t [involve] any drugs,” Hintzsche said. “It’s not going to work for everyone … but for a lot of people, maybe the sperm just needs a little boost.”

It’s important for people to confirm with their doctor that it is healthy for them to become pregnant before attempting a method like PherDal, she added.

Infertility specialist sees promise, warns of potential pitfalls

Dr. Remm Sabouni, a reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist at Aspire Houston Fertility Institute, shared with Fox News Digital her appreciation for reproductive products that allow “more choice while maintaining safety.” (She was not involved in PherDal’s development.)

The expert noted that PherDal is potentially useful for members of the LGBTQIA+ community who would like to try at-home insemination.

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It is also useful for patients who have undergone infertility evaluation and are seeking more natural options, she said, or for male partners who have erectile issues or who want to avoid intercourse as a means of producing sperm.

Sabouni did point out one “major caveat” of a product like PherDal, which is the challenge of understanding who qualifies as a good candidate for its use.

Dr. Hintzsche, pictured with her husband, named the product PherDal because she used her PhD to “prove” she was fertile, she said. (Dr. Jennifer Hintzsche)

The fertility expert cautioned about “some pitfalls,” including lack of fertility assessment and limited efficacy for certain medical conditions such as male factor infertility, tubal blockages or ovulatory disorders in women.

Sabouni also mentioned a lack of randomized controlled trials “demonstrating the viability of this treatment” — as well as the lack of medical supervision and the risk of misuse.

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“While I recognize the potential benefits of such devices for at-home use, particularly for individuals and couples trying to conceive, I would strongly caution that they not be seen as a replacement for consulting with a fertility specialist,” she said. 

“If conception is not achieved after using these methods for a recommended period (typically a year for those under 35, and six months for women over 35 or with irregular periods), it is advisable to seek professional medical advice,” the doctor added.

“I think everyone deserves something they can try first, and it shouldn’t take $10,000 just to [have the chance] to become a mother,” said the company’s founder (not pictured). (iStock)

Customers do not need a prescription to purchase.

FDA clearance advises that consumers should only purchase the product for up to six months before seeking other options.

“It really is just an affordable and accessible way that people can try if they’re struggling,” Hintzsche said.

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Fox News Digital reached out to the FDA requesting comment.

The company said that pre-orders for PherDal kits, which are 100% made in the USA, are currently available at pherdal.com for $199.

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