Driving After 60: Healthy Steps to Keeping the Keys

1
Driving After 60 Healthy Steps to Keeping the
Keys

• .

2
Why Do We Drive?

• Independence
• Freedom
• Convenience
• Connection and
• contribution to the
• community, friends, family
• Respect
• Pride of owning a vehicle

3
Changes in Roads

• How are todays cars different ?

4
Changes in the Roads

• What about the roads and driving today?
• How has driving changed?

5
Changes in Us

• What changes have you noticed?

6
What Changes Can Affect Safe Driving for Older
Adults?

• Vision
• Strength, flexibility
  and reflexes
• Health conditions like arthritis
• Memory

7
Vision Changes that Affect Driving

• Vision provides 90 percent of our sensory cues
  for driving
• Good vision is more than how far or close we can
  see

8
Vision
9
Adaptation to Changes

• Adjust mirrors properly before driving
• Check rearview mirror every 10 to 20 seconds
• Turn your head and look before changing lanes or
  merging with traffic

10
Strength, Flexibility and Reflexes

• Aging may bring diminished
• Muscle strength to legs, arms and handgripall
  important for vehicle control
• Flexibility to look over the shoulder for
  checking traffic
• Reaction time to respond to traffic or road
  hazards

11
Physical Activity

• Develop your weekly routine that includes
• Strengthening
• Stretching
• Endurance
• Balance development

12
Adaptive Equipment

• Seat Belt Adapters
• Pedal extenders
• Left foot accelerators
• Extra loud turn-signal clickers
• Turn signals moved to the other side of the
  steering column
• Handy bar
• Leg lifter
• Consult a professional first before time and
  money on adaptive devices

13
Medications

• Older adults may
• Be more susceptible to adverse
• or strong reactions
• Because they may take more medications (both
  prescribed by a doctor and over-the-counter)
  which increases the likelihood for interaction
• Because the body may not as effectively use
  medications and reacts more strongly to even
  lower doses

14
Medication Tips

• Before getting behind the wheel
• Ask your doctor or pharmacist about possible
  reactions and side effects
• Be aware of your reaction to medications,
  vitamins and supplements
• Adjust your driving schedule to accommodate the
  reaction

15
Memory and Attention

• Driving a car requires
• Making decisions
• quickly which
• requires mental alertness
• Switching attention quickly to many situations
  happening on the road
• Dividing attention to perform many tasks such as
  steering, shifting gears checking mirrors and
  looking ahead

16
Staying Mentally Fit
17
Staying Focused

• Eliminate distractions by organizing your trip
• Sunglasses in easy reach
• Money ready for tolls
• Read your map before you start your trip
• Eliminate distraction by controlling your
  environment
• Turn the radio/music down or off
• Ask passengers to keep conversations down
• Watch your temper (no matter how stupid the other
  driver)
• Drive on familiar roads

18
Sleep and Rest

• Improve concentration on the road by getting
  enough sleep and rest
• Practice habits of sleep health
• Avoid naps
• Develop a regular time to go to bed
• Do some physical activity each day
• Eat a light meal in the evening
• Avoid drinking tea, coffee, or cocoa six hours
  before bedtime

19
Sleep and Rest
20
Alcohol Use

• The Story

21
Alcohol Misuse

• For older adults, alcohol is processed more
  slowly than in younger adults and stays in the
  body longer
• Use of any amount of alcohol can intensify
  actions of many medications
• Possible result drowsiness, disorientation

22
Tune-Ups for the Body
23
The Conversation about Driving

• When
• Talk about driving
• before a problem develops
• Why
• The discussion is about your connection to the
  community and your control over your future
• Driving discussions affect othersfamilies, loved
  ones and friends and those in the community that
  rely on you

24
Where to Go in Your Community

• Handouts from local service providers

25
.