Senior Driving Safety: CarFit at Beatitudes

With years of experience, older drivers are some of the safest drivers.  In fact, older drivers are more likely to wear seatbelts and less likely to speed or drink and drive.  However, older drivers, who do experience accidents, are at greater risk of serious injury, due to greater bone fragility.  Older drivers are also more likely to have physical, visual, hearing and memory impairments that can influence their ability to drive safely, and it can be difficult to know when to make the decision to stop driving.

Thankfully, there are a variety of programs and resources that can help keep senior drivers stay safe on the road despite many of these challenges.  From 9AM-1PM on October 29th, Beatitudes Campus will be cooperating with the NAU Occupational Therapy Program and AARP to host our second annual CarFit event.  CarFit is an educational program that offers older adults the opportunity to check how well their personal vehicles “fit” them.  The CarFit program also provides information and materials on community-specific resources that could enhance their safety as drivers, and/or increase their mobility in the community.

At the upcoming CarFit event, a team of trained occupational therapy CarFit technicians will work with each participant to ensure they “fit” their vehicle properly for maximum comfort and safety.  Each CarFit check takes approximately 20 minutes to complete.  During the check, the CarFit technicians will review 12 items, such as line-of sight, proper steering wheel tilt, positioning of airbag and head rest, mirror alignment and neck mobility for blind spot checks.  The CarFit technicians will also offer ideas for simple equipment and devices for those who have difficulty getting in and out of their vehicle or reaching the seatbelt.

Additionally, for those who are interested in learning more about whether and when it may be a good idea to stop or limit driving, there will be resources provided for senior driving evaluations, senior driver rehabilitation, top signs that it's time to stop driving, and how to talk to loved ones about when to give up the keys.

Space is limited at the Saturday, October 29th CarFit event, and residents are required to make appointments.  Please contact Jessica Meyer at x16110 (@jmeyer) to learn more and book your CarFit appointment.

Author Info: Beatitudes Campus

At the foundation of Beatitudes Campus is the vision of Church of the Beatitudes pastors and congregation members to create a better alternative for older adults than the nursing homes of the early 1960s. The type of community they imagined was the first of its kind in Arizona. Beatitudes Campus is proud to continue the legacy of our founders, by being a leader in the field of aging services for over 50 years.