Planning for the Transportation Needs of Older Adults

Oloder adult safety is in fact the number one priority that the operators should be trained in. This includes dealing with emergency situations as well as the necessary steps to take in the event of a health or other crisis.

There needs to be more eduction regarding how caregivers and physicians should address older adult driving safety with their family member/patient, when it is time to give up the car keys and how to connect with other transportation resources. There should be a more frequent license expiration, in New York it is 8 years and when someone gets to be in their 80's and beyond there needs to be a means of assessing for driving competence, ability and safety on a regular basis.

Older driver safety is also a door through door issue. For example, there was an 85 y.o. male driver who took his life in his own hands every time he left his apartment to go to his car, or to get the mail, in winter, because if he fell, he could not get back up.

There is a very large number of senior citizens with cognitive problems who cannot drive safely. Unfortunately they frequently forget this, grab the keys and go! Our state has a Silver Alert program. I'm interested in the opinions of others about this type of program.