A program called ‘Beyond Driving with Dignity’ is designed to help seniors decide when they should give up their keys.
“We do that based on facts. So we do an in-depth personal interview. We do several pen and paper exercises, and we do a driving exercise,” explained Nancy Schuster of Beyond Driving with Dignity.
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To learn more about becoming a Certified “Beyond Driving with Dignity” Professional, download our free e-brochure.
Excellent blog post by Dr. Nancy Stein, owner of Seniority Matters in Miami, Florida titled: “Senior Drivers: Paving The Way For A Smooth Ride With The ‘Beyond Driving With Dignity’ Program. Dr. Stein writes…If I were to rank the most pressing concerns family members have of their aging parents, driving would be near the very top. And of all conversations caregivers have with their parents, what’s become known as the “taking the keys away” talk is the most dreaded, even more than talking about their finances, or the need for some personal assistance.
Yes, having the driving talk is very difficult, (you can refer to a previous post I wrote “We Need To Talk” which offers some advice and recommendations for readings on how to approach these uncomfortable and sensitive talks) but trust me, actually doing something about it is even more difficult.
In another recent post, I provided information on programs and resources for Senior Driver Safety. I liked one of the programs, Beyond Driving with Dignity, so much that I became a Certified Instructor so that I could offer it to Seniority Matters users.
What differentiates this program from others is that it’s a personal self-assessment that’s designed to help the older driver and their family members make the best decisions regarding their driving and keeping them safe. The exercises in the program will help individuals recognize if and when it’s time to stop driving. This is so much preferable than having a family member “take away the keys.”
This program can ideal for those who:
There are two ways to complete the program.
A three hour in-home program facilitated by a certified instructor will provide you with acceptable alternatives, resources and a plan to ensure as easy a transition as possible from driving. And if the final recommendation is that your family member is a safe driver, you will be provided strategies on how to remain that way, and how to recognize changes in this status.
Alternatively you can use the “do-it-yourself” approach by using the “Beyond Driving with Dignity workbook which you can easily order. Either way, the program is administered in the privacy of your own home.
To learn more about the different approaches, their costs, and how to arrange for them, please click here.
On behalf of the Spring 2013 Aging and Gerontological Services class at Rutgers, School of Social Work, I would like to thank you for taking the time to Skype with us about your efforts to keep older adult drivers safe.
Your information prompted the class to rethink many of the options available to older adult drivers, who may or may not be evaluating whether or not their driving is still safe. In a busy state like New Jersey, there are many transportation barriers.
We appreciate your time. As an instructor, I think it was a valuable experience to share with the class an example of how someone saw a problem and developed a plan to address it. This is a skill that is crucial to social work advocacy, and it is great to show them how people who serve the community can take their experience “in the field” and effectuate change.
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The “Beyond Driving with Dignity” program and BDD Professional Nancy Schuster are featured in the Cincinnati Enquirer.
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Keeping Us Safe invited to serve as the guest speaker for the Advocacy Committee of the “Senior Umbrella Network”. This particular group of professionals serves Brooklyn, Queens and most of Long Island. 
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Keeping Us Safe is honored to have been selected as a presenter at the two-day Ohio Assisted Living Association’s Conference & Trade show. The event will be held at the Easton Hilton in Columbus, Ohio, on May 20-21, 2013.
How do you restrict your loved one from driving for safety reasons? When is the right time to contemplate retirement from driving? What happens to your independence if you don’t drive anymore?
These questions and more will be discussed during a free presentation sponsored by Seniors Helping Seniors® and specifically designed for family members, caregivers and loved ones of senior citizen drivers.
Matt Gurwell— Founder and CEO of Keeping Us Safe and retired Highway Patrol Officer for the state of Ohio— will provide attendees with a road map to help navigate the legal, ethical and emotional challenges when considering driving restrictions. “My goal,” states Mr. Gurwell, “is to discuss all issues with tact, compassion and empathy so that the older driver’s dignity is never jeopardized.”
After retiring from a successful 24-year career with the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Mr. Gurwell quickly recognized that he was still filled with a desire for improving highway safety and more specifically, a passion to help keep older drivers, safe drivers. As a result, Mr. Gurwell founded Keeping Us Safe, a national organization with a mission to help keep older drivers safe and, when needed, help ensure one’s smooth transition from the driver’s seat to the passenger seat.
Supporting senior citizens with care and compassion is integrated into all the services that Seniors Helping Seniors® provides to the community. Our in-home care services bring together senior citizens who want to help with seniors who need help to live in their homes as safely and independently as possible.
We invite you to attend this free presentation on Thursday, March 31 from 6-7pm at Trinity Evangelical Free Church, 46485 Middle Ridge Road in Amherst.
For more information contact Seniors Helping Seniors at 440-935-3848 or email CaringSeniors@yahoo.com.
Keeping Us Safe is proud to announce that All About Aging, LLC. has adopted the nationally-recognized “Beyond Driving with Dignity” program and will begin offering this life-saving service in Polk and Highland Counties effective immediately.
Keeping Us Safe is proud to announce that Brian Betron has successfully completed an intensive training program and is now certified as a “Beyond Driving with Dignity” professional. Read more…
Recently obtaining certification as Beyond Driving with Dignity professionals, Donna Barrett, manager, Community Health and Geriatric Services, and Rebecca Spilak Salamon, geriatric social worker, completed an intense training program through the Keeping Us Safe program to assist in addressing these concerns.
