Giving seniors the green light: Expo helps older drivers learn how to stay safe on the road

How can seniors be aware of safety on the roads and the role they play in it?

 

If you are open and honest about your car and how it fits you and about your driving skills, then you will be able to stay driving longer. It's important to start looking at that before it becomes a problem. I hope they can realize it's OK to evaluate their driving and to think about it. It doesn't mean they will lose their license. It just means that maybe they may decide to modify their driving a little bit or take a refresher course or get a special mirror. We all can be safer drivers and we all can evaluate how we drive and make ourselves safer at any age. I hope the older adults don't feel threatened by that - I hope they realize they can keep their independence at any age.

 

-- Annette Maggard-Lewer, driving program coordinator at The Rehabilitation Institute of Kansas City

 

So what are some example of how to customize your car?

 

You can retrofit your car with different adaptive devices. Let's say you have arthritis and it's hard for you to look over your shoulder, there are elongated mirrors you can buy. If you have arthritis in your hands, there are knobs you can put on your steering wheel so you don't have to grab onto the steering wheel.

 

-- Dawn Staton, Jewish Community Services

 

How does someone know if it's time to try an adaptive device, or maybe even turn in their keys all together?

 

There are driving assessments that can be done through The Rehabilitation Institute of Kansas City. They have occupational therapists who are trained in doing driving assessments to give older adults as well as their family member objective information about whether the person should be driving, and if they shouldn't. Or if they just need to have their cars retrofitted and to be trained on their driving skills.

 

-- Dawn Staton, Jewish Community Services

 

For many, driving equals independence. How can senior drivers remain independent even after they forfeit their keys?

 

You should have a retirement driving plan in the same way you have a retirement financial plan. It's important that if and when you realize you shouldn't be diving anymore because it's not as safe, that you know what is available, so you know what to do. You plan ahead so that you are not, when you have to give up your keys, you're not left stranded or isolated, or feeling that your life in away has ended - that independent part of your life has ended. Just because you don't have a car, there are others ways - there are volunteer driver programs, there are mobility transportation providers.

 

-- Dawn Staton, Jewish Community Services

 

What are some of the programs available to help seniors who are no longer driving get around?