p e o p l e
A national voice for older drivers
R
adio listeners across the country this moving around, from arthritis and other physical be old – just need to adapt to this circumstance
spring got advice on older adults changes.” the same way they have successfully adapted to so
and driving from the College of
Sometimes, she said, doctors can help counteract
many other things.”
Medicine’s resident expert. those changes – “particularly when people have One example: “There are programs in different
Professor Alice Pomidor is chair of the American new medical problems that need evaluation or parts of the country that have what they call travel
Geriatrics Society’s Public Education Committee. medications that could be affecting them and training, where they will actually teach someone
She also was chair of the editorial board that last could be stopped. Or if they simply have problems how to read a schedule, how to get on a bus, how
year published an updated “Clinician’s Guide where they need some retraining and they may to do a transfer.”
to Assessing and Counseling Older Drivers” for need their vehicle adapted.”
AGS and the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration.
In the spring, her radio interviews focused on
the agencies’ Safe Driving Campaign.
“The issues include planning for alternative
transportation ... and driving in the face of
increasing traffic, with the changes that can
happen with aging,” Pomidor told WALR-FM in
For many of us, though, the day arrives when
we no longer can drive safely, and the dreaded
family conversation ensues. Pomidor said the Safe
There are also many informal transportation
options. One example, she said, might involve the
people who attend your place of worship.
“There’s really more out there than people are
Driving Campaign has suggestions for making aware of,” she said, “just because they haven’t
that car-key conversation compassionate and needed to be aware of it before.”
respectful.
And if you equate driving with independence,
Pomidor politely disagrees.
And the AGS is ready to help. You’ll find tips
on its companion website, healthinaging.org. It’s
part of the Clinician’s Guide: “training materials
“There are so many different transportation for health-care professionals ... as well as for all of
often a little bit of slowing down, and a little more options now that our older adults – who have us out here who are working on this every day for
difficulty holding on to the steering wheel and been very successful survivors, or they wouldn’t ourselves and our family members.”
Atlanta. “They include some vision impairments,
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