By Hadassah Deroiser, Pikes Peak Area Agency on Aging intern
Transportation is essential in everyday life, but as people get older, driving can become harder for some individuals. No one wants to be told to give up their key, but how can they keep driving longer?
Terry Cassidy, the owner of Fitness to Drive and guest on the December Aging with Altitude podcast, empowers adults of all ages to continue driving longer by giving them the tools necessary to drive safely. Not every client comes to her because they are being told to stop driving; some have experienced trauma from car accidents and need to build their confidence. At Fitness to Drive, occupational therapists will look at their clients’ history and skills during an evaluation and then provide them with the proper tools and education to drive safely.
Driving can become an over learned activity because many people have been driving for decades. At Fitness to Drive, Terry and her team look at a client’s vision, contrast sensitivity, and many other factors in order to have a full, comprehensive look at the driver to help them become safer on the road. If there is a problem, they want to help fix it. The sooner a problem is found, the easier it is to find a solution and for the client to adjust. Some solutions may include getting glasses to see better or changing a routine, like not driving at night.
If an older adult cannot drive, there are many resources in the Pikes Peak region where they can find transportation. Some other ways to support driving health are to be active, eat well, and see your eye doctor. It is important to keep roads safe by practicing safe driving.