SENIOR SNIPS

| March 24, 2013

ILLINOIS OUTSTANDING SENIOR VOLUNTEER

The search is on for Illinois’s outstanding senior volunteer. The Salute to Senior Service program, sponsored by Home Instead, Inc, the franchise of the Home Instead Senior Care network, honors the contributions of adults 65 and older who volunteer at least 15 hours a month to their favorite causes.

Nominations for outstanding senior volunteers will be accepted unto March 31. State winners then will be selected by popular vote at SalutetoSeniorService.com Online voting will take place from April 15 to April 30. From those state winners, a panel of senior care experts will pick the national Salute to Senior Service honoree. Home Instead will donate $500 to each of state winners’ favorite nonprofit organizations and their stories will be posted on the Salute to Senior Service Wall of Fame. Also, $5,000 will be donated to the national winner’s nonprofit charity of choice. To Complete and submit a nomination form online and view the contest’s official rules, visit SalutetoSeniorService.com. Or mail completed nomination forms to Salute to Senior Service, P.O. Box 285, Bellevue NE 68005. For more information call 847 690 9825.

TAX ASSISTANCE FOR SENIORS

There are several places you can get your taxes done. Triton College by calling 708-456-0300, extension 3895, Elmwood Park Senior Center, Elmwood Public Library, Proviso Twp. Office, Norridge Senior Center and Leyden Township Senior Center

AARP DRIVER SAFETY COURSE

4/16/2013 9:30 AM – 9:45 AM

Where: Community Center

Code: 13407, Fee (ID/OD): $12 (AARP Member)/$14 (Non-member)
Age/Ages: 55 years and up, Registration Deadline:

This program is especially for the older driver. It takes into consideration physical changes and advances in the curriculum that enable drivers to compensate for those changes. Those who successfully complete this course will receive a certificate and may qualify for a discount on their auto insurance premium. Please bring AARP membership card and current driver’s license to class.

Older drivers have to reassess abilities

For many older drivers, driving is more than getting from point A to point B. Getting behind the wheel allows older drivers to remain independent as well as mobile. But as a person ages, his or her risk of injury on the road increases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Older adults and their family members need to make plans for handing dwindling skills behind the wheel and the point in time when it is no longer safe for a loved one to continue driving.

In rural and suburban communities, driving is a necessity for independent living. With limited resources available for older individuals to get around, seniors may hold onto the notion of driving longer than is safe and practical. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that in 2009 alone, 5,288 people age 65 and older were killed and 187,000 were injured in traffic accidents. Older people are involved in around 15 percent of all traffic accidents in a typical year.

Getting older doesn’t mean it’s time for you or a loved one to turn in your license just yet. There are ways people can come together to make the driving experience go smoothly, and it often begins with an honest conversation.

* Let a loved one know you are on his or her side. Make sure the first topic of conversation is that it is not your intention to take away the keys of the car. Indicate that you want to work together to help keep this person behind the wheel as long as possible. Being open and honest about intentions may eliminate arguments or animosity.

* Figure out safe ways to keep your loved one driving. This may include identifying a new car with upgraded safety features, such as brighter headlights, a back-up camera and a better safety record. Enroll together in a driving safety course to brush up on driving skills.

* Go for a “test drive.” Family members can ride along with an older driver to get a better sense of his or her ability behind the wheel. If drivers have too many close calls, frequently get lost in familiar places, exhibit slower response times or are easily distracted, this should be a wake-up call and the loved one should intervene.

* Schedule a vision and hearing exam. Driving abilities can be affected by poor vision and hearing, both common side effects of getting older. Getting a senior a new eyeglass prescription or a better hearing aid may make all the difference in his or her driving ability.

* Review prescriptions and over-the-counter medications. Many seniors take a bevy of different medications, and the side effects to these drugs could impact their driving abilities. If medications cause drowsiness or dizziness, speak with your loved one’s physician about a possible alternative treatment that might make driving safer.

* Be honest. If an older driver is no longer safe behind the wheel of their automobile, it is important to involve other family members and make a joint decision to remove driving privileges. Have other solutions available, such as senior busing or courtesy vans, so your loved one doesn’t feel he or she will be confined to the house.

Driving is a sensitive subject for older drivers who see being able to get behind the wheel as an opportunity to maintain their independence. But individuals need to be honest with themselves to remain safe on the road. SC133

 

 

Category: Articles, Senior Snips

Comments are closed.