Stockton Center on Successful Aging to Host Car Fittings for Older Adult Drivers March 29

Galloway Township, NJ- The Stockton Center on Successful Aging (SCOSA) and Stockton mobility experts will host a CarFit safety program designed to help older drivers find the best fit into their driver seats on Saturday, March 29, 2014.

CarFit is a national program developed by the American Automobile Association (AAA), the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) and the American Occupational Therapy Association and is designed to give a quick, yet comprehensive check on how well an older driver and his or her vehicle work together.  

Stockton’s Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Speech Therapy, Nursing, Public Health, and Health Science students led by Kimberly Furphy, DHSc, OT, ATP, associate professor and program director of the Stockton Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program, will conduct CarFit check-ups in the parking lot of the Stockton Parkway Building at 10 W Jimmie Leeds Rd. in Galloway on March 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The rain date for the event is April 19, 2014 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Parking Lot 5 of the Stockton Galloway campus. Registration is required by visiting the SCOSA website at www.stockton.edu/scosa or calling 609-626-3591.

“As we age, changes in our vision, flexibility, strength, range of motion and even size and height may make us less comfortable and reduce our control behind the wheel,” said Furphy.  “CarFit provides older adults with the tools to understand and apply the safety features of their car.”

At a CarFit event, trained volunteers complete a 12-point checklist with each driver. Among the items checked are correct position of the driver’s seat, driver’s ability to easily reach pedals and proper adjustment of mirrors.                                                                                             

Occupational therapists will be on hand to provide consultations as requested and will teach drivers how to maintain and improve aspects related to their driving health. The therapist can also provide information to participants addressing individual needs, including information about local community resources on exercise, nutrition and other programs to help keep them safe on the road.

“It is critically important that mature drivers make safety a personal priority,” said Furphy.  “Driving today is more difficult than ever because of increased traffic congestion, longer commute distances, new technology and faster speeds. Older drivers can take important measures to mitigate the stress associated with driving.”

Older drivers can also check with their local AAA club or AARP office to take a driver safety refresher course for older road users or look into occupational therapy driving evaluation programs for individualized assessments and recommendations. CarFit represents an extension of those classroom programs and an opportunity for older drivers to make sure their personal vehicles are adjusted to their needs.

Check the SCOSA website (www.stockton.edu.scosa) for updates and cancellations.