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Recently, the call for a state-issued photo ID for every registered voter has been highlighted in the news. While the political discussion is not focused on seniors, it brings to my mind the number of elders who no longer have a photo ID. They need one – and not just for voting.
Many seniors let photo IDs fall by the wayside when they stop driving. They figure that, if they no longer need a license, they no longer need a government-issued ID.
Today we live in a world where a photo ID is needed to make a bank transaction, board an airplane, use a credit card, and perform any task where you need to prove that you are who you say you are.
I tried to purchase a pre-paid debit card for a client. The card was to provide funds for a shopping trip for new clothes. My client does not drive. She has dementia. She let her photo ID slip away many years ago. No one imagined that she would ever need a photo ID again.  The debit card company insisted that I send them a copy of her photo ID. I explained my client’s situation and offered copies of her birth certificate, Social Security card, and insurance cards. None of these were acceptable. The company insisted on a state-issued photo ID or a passport.
The obstacles for seniors to maintain a photo ID include:

  • Cost
  • Lack of transportation to DMV
  • Missing documents, such as birth certificates, that are needed to obtain an ID
  • Complexity and costs of obtaining copies of birth certificates
  • Not realizing that states offer a non-driver’s license photo ID
  • Not understanding that a photo ID is necessary

I encourage family members and people who work with elders to help them obtain a photo ID if they do not currently have one.  You can check on-line to see what documents your state requires.  Often, an expired driver’s license or passport can be used to help verify the senior’s identity. 
If your senior has a current ID, pay attention to the expiration date. Help get it renewed before it expires.  If the ID is a driver’s license and the senior no longer drives, help convert it to a non-driver’s license photo ID.


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