At Deupree House, we know that getting older doesn’t mean the end of your driving days. In fact our heated, underground garage has been a necessary amenity for the senior living of many of our residents.
According to a 2012 publication by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, millions of older Americans still enjoy the freedom brought by driving. In 2008 there were more than 32 million adults over the age of 65 on the road— a number that is expected to increase to 40 million by the end of the decade.
Making Driving a Safe Experience for Seniors.
As an older driver, you know that many of the specific abilities we rely on to drive safely can decline as we age— such as vision, memory, physical strength, reaction time and flexibility— but many seniors still try to maintain safe driving habits in spite of these limitations. And it’s been a noticeable effort. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has determined that older adults do not differ significantly in their driving records from the middle aged drivers who are statistically the safest on the road.
Safe driving practices for seniors are promoted in dozens of programs and initiatives by state police, local authorities and healthcare professionals. However, few efforts focus on supplying assistance or information directly to older drivers. At Deupree House, we want to help you to maintain your driving independence as an older adult as long as possible and help keep you safe on the road.
When a crash does occur, an older driver is more likely to sustain serious injuries as the ability to absorb impacts and recover from injury also decline as we age.
As champions of living well into the future, we try to give our residents peace of mind in their golden years by providing services and conveniences that allow our residents to stay in the best total health. So as you take senior living on your terms, there is a new initiative for older drivers that you may want to be aware of as you travel.
An initiative begun by a branch of the People’s United Bank in Connecticut provides older drivers with the knowledge that their health will be looked after in the event of an accident.
The Yellow Dot program for seniors helps rescuers respond to critical health issues during the window of opportunity in the 60 minutes that follow an accident.
A highly visible sticker on the rear window of a vehicle alerts first responders to look in the glove compartment for a package containing information about medical conditions, prescriptions and other potentially life-saving materials as well as an identifying photograph.
Yellow Dot in Cincinnati
After a national spotlight by USA TODAY, Deupree House resident JoAnn Plotkin brought the program to Cincinnati.
As a driver who requires oxygen, Plotkin was aware of her risks.
“I have often thought, ‘What would happen in an accident,’” she says. “Would people know to make sure I got more oxygen? Or to turn off the motor of the car?”
The Yellow Dot Medical Alert seemed a sensible solution to her concerns.
Plotkin presented the program to Laura Lamb, Vice President of Residential Housing and Healthcare at ERH. It was a no brainer for Lamb. She brought the idea to the Episcopal Retirement Homes community who responded with overwhelming support.
With Plotkin spearheading the campaign, a group of staff and residents worked to acquire the stickers and information packet that had been used in the first statewide initiative in Alabama. Using those materials as a template, ERH set an in-house team to design their own publications and window decals.
Since launching in November of 2011, Plotkin’s grassroots campaign has distributed more than 5,000 informational packets in the Hyde Park area, and Lamb has taken up the task of educating local responders. She booked speaking engagements with the Cincinnati police and recorded an informational video for area fire services.
