Safe Driving for Seniors Rochester Woman Teaches Auto Safety for AARP
By Victoria Stewart For The Chronicle
Now 63 and living in Rochester, Kitchens still travels. Sort of. Her traveling now involves teaching others how to travel or drive safely. Kitchens volunteers as an AARP Driver Safety class instructor. While medically retired since a stroke in 2004, Kitchen has not remained immobile. Rather, she stays active through her volunteer work. There’s her twice weekly volunteer work serving seniors lunch at her church in Rochester. And she continues her ministry work, praying with and for whomever needs it. Kitchens said people will call about a problem they have, and she listens to them and prays for them. Kitchens said she spent a portion of her life as a psychologist and marriage counselor as well as doing missionary work around the world. She is known as Dr. Kitchens. As an AARP Driver Safety instructor, Kitchens said she has to teach the classes at least four times a year in order to keep her instructor certificate. However, Kitchens said she usually teaches 6 to 8 classes each year. “I enjoy it,” Kitchens said. “I thoroughly enjoy teaching seniors. So far, in the six years I’ve been teaching, I’ve had very responsive students.” Six years ago Kitchens was a student herself, taking notes in one of the classes she now teaches. They advertised for instructors, she said, so she volunteered to be a teacher. After completing a teacher training course, Kitchens began a new phase of her life. “It was wonderful,” Kitchens said of the training. “AARP is very sharp, right to the point and very professional.” The AARP Driver Safety class covers eight hours of instruction, and is usually offered in two four-hour sessions, said John Rutherford, program zone coordinator. While the class is geared for seniors, anyone can take the course, Rutherford said. Sometimes grandparents will take the course with their grandchildren, he said. For those over 55, state law requires insurance companies to apply an
“appropriate” discount after completing the course, Rutherford said. Course instruction covers such topics as changes in vision and hearing that occur as one ages, and how these changes affect driving. Students also learn ways to compensate for these changes. The adverse effects of medication and alcohol on driving are discussed. Another topic, driver safety strategies that can be practiced to avoid crashes, such as the threesecond following distance. City versus rural driving, interstate versus
Ten Signs That It’s Time to Limit or Stop Driving By The Chronicle 1. Almost crashing with frequent “close calls.” 2. Finding dents and scrapes on car, fences, mail boxes, garage doors, etc. 3. Getting lost, especially in familiar locations. 4. Having trouble seeing or following traffic signals, reading signs and permanent markings. 5. Responding more slowly to unexpected situations or having troubles moving foot from the gas to the brake pedal, confusing the two pedals. 6. Misjudging gaps in traffic at intersections and on highway entrance and exit ramps. 7. Experiencing road rage or causing other drivers to honk or complain. 8. Easily becoming distracted or having difficulty concentrating while driving. 9. Having a hard time turning around to check the rear view while backing up or changing lanes. 10. Receiving multiple traffic tickets or “warnings” from law enforcement officers.
Continued on Seniors Pg. 2
ROCHESTER — Maria Kitchens spent her youth traveling all over the world. As a military wife, Kitchens’ husband’s career took them to South Africa, Vietnam, the Middle East, Japan and all over Europe.
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SWW Seniors • February 2012
Seniors Southwest Washington
2 • SWW Seniors • The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, Wash. Thursday, Feb. 16, 2012
Continued from Seniors Pg. 1
How to Talk to a Loved One About Limiting or Stopping Driving
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By The Chronicle Having “the talk” with a parent or older driver about giving up the car keys is a difficult decision that can invoke strong emotions. Here are some items to consider as you have this hard but important conversation: • Many older adults see giving up driving as a loss of independence, identity, status and self-worth. • Their negative reactions are in response to the message, not the messenger. • You may experience strong emotions when talking to an older driver about giving up driving; you should react calmly to defuse any negative emotions. • Do not postpone the conversation because of you own negative emotions. • Be prepared to have several conversations. • Use understanding and empathy to talk with an older driver about his or her feelings before offering solutions. • If limiting driving, rather than giving up driving entirely, is a reasonable solution, consider setting guidelines such as not driving at night, in poor weather conditions or in heavy traffic. SWWS
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highway driving are included in the second class session along with a review of road signs, signals and markings. Instruction methods are varied with discussions, workbook activities and short videos which summarize points, Rutherford said. Another topic discussed is when to turn in the car keys. “If you live long enough, at some point we face outliving the ability to drive safely,” Rutherford said. The course covers warning signs of unsafe driving and how to talk to a loved one about driving retirement. Kitchens said she plans on teaching the driver safety classes as much as she can. Recently hospitalized for emergency surgery, Kitchens said she has a six-week recuperation period, and then intends to be back teaching, “by the grace of God,” she added. “God has been good to me and I’m affirming him in the best way I know how,” she said, referring to her volunteer and community works. To find a classroom course near you or to register for the online course, visit AARP.org/drive. SWWS
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SWW Seniors • The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, Wash. Thursday, Feb. 16, 2012 • 3
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Safeguarding Your House Reduce Risk of Injury in the Bathroom
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A cluttered home is a fire hazard as well as a considerable safety risk. Be sure the bedroom is not overcrowded. Make certain there is a clear path in which to walk around the bed. Clutter can also collect in the living room. Residents should have a clear path on which to walk from room to room. Make sure cords from the entertainment system are bundled and not lying open around the floor. In addition, magazine or newspaper baskets should be moved away from where residents will be walking. Clutter can also collect outside the home, particularly in homes with young children. Explain to kids that their toys need to be put away and kept off of walkways to help avoid injury. Homeowners who love to work around the house should also clean their work areas thoroughly and put everything away before calling it a day. SWWS
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SWWS
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in the past, especially if children are full grown and supporting themselves. Take advantage of these high-salary years, even if it means working an extra few years. If you do, when you retire you could have substantially more in savings than you would have had you retired early. Already retired? Make the most out of your nest egg. Work with a financial advisor to make your money work for you. * Stay socially active. In addition to economic benefits, delaying retirement has social benefits as well. Many people get the bulk of their social interaction with colleagues and coworkers. When men and women retire, these opportunities for social interaction can dwindle rather quickly, and it's not uncommon for retirees to battle feelings of isolation. Delaying retirement allows you to easily maintain contact with friends and colleagues, and can lead to a better quality of life. Already retired? Get involved with a club or church to stay socially active. * The chance to give back. Many older professionals view retirement as being put out to pasture, where their years or experience aren't utilized. However, individuals who delay retirement can use their extra years around the office as an opportunity to leave a legacy for the next generation. This is something professionals find especially valuable as their retirement draws nearer and they want to leave a lasting mark, be it on their company, within their industry or in the community in which their company operates. Delaying retirement provides more time to build this legacy, and can create a greater sense of fulfillment when men and women do decide to retire. Already retired? Give your time to a service club or non-profit organization.
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The need to save for retirement is something professionals start hearing about from the moment they begin their careers. Whether it's parents extolling the virtues of retirement plans or employers who encourage their employees to take advantage of their retirement programs, saving for retirement is never far from the minds of professionals. As important as such savings can be, many workers are deciding to delay their retirements. As much as men and women envision retiring to a faraway seaside villa for their golden years, such retirements are not terribly common, and many older workers have begun to recognize the economic and social benefits of delaying retirement. Those undecided about when they want to say goodbye to the office should consider the following benefits to delaying retirement. * Fewer years to worry about financing your lifestyle. Thanks to advancements in medicine and more and more people living healthier lifestyles, men and women are now living longer than in years past. While living longer, healthier lives is a plus, it does have an effect on retirement. Because people can now expect to live longer, they must ensure their money lasts long enough. By delaying retirement, men and women will have fewer retirement years to finance. Already retired? Try getting back in the workforce. A part time job can be fun and provides extra funds to help with expenses or extravagances. * More chances to save money. It might be your dream to retire early, but you could be doing yourself a great disservice by ending your career prematurely. Men and women at or near the end of their careers are often making more money than they ever have, which enables them to save more than they have
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Wet tiled floors can greatly increase the risk of falling, so make sure to have bathroom rugs that are slip-resistant. Slip-resistant rugs typically have a rubber bottom and won't move even if the floor is wet. Install grab bars on the walls, including in the bathtub and next to the toilet. Also, make sure the towel bars are secure, as one might grab onto towel bars if they feel they are about to fall or need to regain their balance. As for the bathtub, be sure to place a non-skid mat or strips on the standing area. This can help secure arguably the riskiest part of a home. According to the National Safety Council, most falls in the home occur in the bathroom. Securing a slippery tub with non-skid mats or strips can greatly reduce the risk of a fall.
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Starting Saturday, February 18th tastings and tours will also be available the third Saturday of each month.
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First comes a diagnosis. Then come the questions, the worries, the fear. But you’re not alone. You’ve got a team focused on your needs — more than caregivers, you’ve got allies. And we’re here to help you beat this.
Find more Lewis County events and happenings in our next Southwest Washington Senior issue, May 17,2012, and also every Thursday in The Chronicle's "Arts and Entertainment" section!
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SWW Seniors • February 2012
4 • SWW Seniors • The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, Wash. Thursday, Feb. 16, 2012