Page 37 - The Magazine of AAA Ohio – January 2020

because I want to make sure she doesn’t get lost or confused.”
Joan also doesn’t drive at night or on the highway and is extremely cautious about ice and snow.
“Right now, I can drive to a nearby shopping center for groceries and I can drive out to Walmart and some other stores and I can go to church,” said Joan. “Very, very local things.”
Even though Joan has a wonderful support network through Carole and her husband, she says it feels good to be able to drive by herself again. Carole agrees it’s given her mother more freedom and flexibility.
“I felt much, much better after talking with Julie and seeing the assessment,” said Carole. “Her needs were being met, but her ability to do more social things weren’t, because she wasn’t able to drive.”
Nationally, seniors are outliving their ability to drive safely by an average of 7 to 10 years, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. The Foundation also found that driving cessation in older adults contributes to a variety of health problems and depression.
“Our overall goal is to try to maintain their level of access to their community as independent and safe as possible,” said Dominik. “The majority of them hope that that means that they’re continuing to operate a motor vehicle, but that’s not always the way things play out.”
CDRSs do not have the authority to take away someone’s license. They serve as messengers between the patient and the patient’s physician. It’s up to the physician to then open a case with the Ohio BMV to start the process of taking someone’s license.
If that happens, the CDRS will discuss mobility options with the patient. Options depend on individual circumstances, including their family support, location and access to public transportation.
“If they don’t have a lot of support, then we’re going to help them to at least start the investigation into the
alternatives available in their community,” said Dominik. Joan commends Dominik on her patience,
encouragement and attention to detail.
“I was ready to accept her opinion,” said Joan. “If I
had had to (give up the keys), I would have. I really think at that point, I wasn’t fully confident in myself.”
AAA also aims to boost driver confidence and keep seniors driving safer, longer through a variety of senior programming, including its driver improvement program for mature operators. The eight-hour, state-approved course is offered at AAA Ohio Auto Club’s headquarters in Worthington and, upon request, at locations throughout much of Ohio.
“Most of the folks who are aging well will do awesome at coming to the mature operator course and learning about being defensive drivers, learning about some of the changes that might affect them as they age that might inhibit their safety behind the wheel,” said Dominik. “The people who tend to need our services are folks who there are concerns about.”
Dominik encourages families to speak with their physician if they have concerns about their own driving or of a family member’s driving. Many times the clinical portion of a visit with one of Ohio’s CDRSs is covered by health insurance.
Joan and Carole are both thankful for the time they spent with Dominik.
“I would definitely recommend having an assessment done,” said Carole. “I just couldn’t make the assessment as to whether she should be driving by myself, and so I’m very grateful for people that have the expertise to do that.”
Editor’s note: Joan and Carole asked AAA Magazine not to use their last names.
Kimberly Schwind is Senior Public Affairs Manager for AAA Ohio.
Help With Driving
If you or someone you know is experiencing physical changes or feelings of driving discomfort, AAA offers the following recommendations:
Talk about it: Visit a doctor to determine the cause of your discomfort and evaluate potential solutions, such as a referral to a certified driver rehabilitation specialist or occupational therapist.
Educate yourself: You can evaluate your driving performance using tools like AAA’s Driver65Plus, located at SeniorDriving.AAA.com under the “Evaluate
your Driving Ability” tab. You also might consider taking a driver improvement course to help refresh your knowledge.
Make changes: Once you know the cause of your discomfort, make needed vehicle adjustments. Free programs like CarFit can help older drivers learn about changes they can make to their vehicles to better fit their needs. Find a CarFit event by visiting Car-Fit.org or call 614-431-7891 to schedule a one-on-one CarFit with a trained technician today.
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