Terry Cassidy, Occupational Therapist and owner of Health Partners specializes in the evaluation and support for older drivers. The week of December 7 is Older Driver's Awareness week and an ideal time to learn more about safe and comfortable drivers to take into their senior years. To see more about the week's activities visit
https://www.aota.org/Conference-Events/Older-Driver-Safety-Awareness-Week.aspx
Aging with Altitude is recorded in the Pikes Peak region with a focus on topics of aging interest across the country. We talk about both the everyday and novel needs and approaches to age with altitude whether you’re in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida or Leadville, Colorado. The Pikes Peak Area Agency on Aging is the producer. Learn more at Pikes Peak Area Agency on Aging.
Transcript:
This is Studio 809.
Cynthia Margiotta:
Hello everyone. This is Area Agency on Aging, Aging with Altitude Podcast. Welcome to all of you. This is where we provide answers, assistance, and advocacy for our elders. Thank you for joining us today. Our topic today is Older Driver Safety Awareness Week that’s coming up in a couple of days, yes?
Terri Cassidy:
Starting December 7th.
Cynthia Margiotta:
So let’s get that in our heads. I’m your host, Cynthia Margiotta. I’m a geriatric social worker and a volunteer with the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments Area Agency on Aging. That’s a mouthful. And CEO of a program called PEARLS Program of Colorado. With me today is Terri Cassidy. Thank you for being here today, Terri. Thank you. She’s got all these wonderful letters after her name so I’m gonna just tell you what they are. The first one is OTD. What is that?
Terri Cassidy:
Doctorate in Occupational Therapy.
Cynthia Margiotta:
And then the second one is OTR/L.
Terri Cassidy:
And that’s just licensed and registered occupational therapist in the state of Colorado.
Cynthia Margiotta:
There’s no “just.”
Terri Cassidy:
No just.
Cynthia Margiotta:
No just. And the third one is CDRS.
Terri Cassidy:
Certified Driver Rehabilitation Specialist.
Cynthia Margiotta:
And that’s a mouthful girlfriend. I like the letters. OK, she’s here to talk to us today about Older Driver Safety Awareness Week. Terri has her doctorate in occupational therapy and is a certified driver rehab specialist, as she mentioned. As the owner of Health Promotion Partners, she empowers people to take positive action toward their health and well-being. She and her team provide driver evaluations and home evaluations to help older adults stay independent and connected with our community. Wonderful, wonderful. So let’s get started with some of the questions. I have a million of them. What is Older Driver Safety Awareness Week?
Terri Cassidy:
Yes. Well, thank you, Cynthia. I’m excited to be able to be here and talk about this topic. Older Driver Safety Awareness Week has such a long title, partially because it’s trying to explain what it is. It was started through the American Occupational Therapy Association really to have a set time to raise awareness to this topic. Just safety of older drivers really in a way that’s non-threatening. That’s really just about a topic that people don’t like to talk about, maybe. So trying to bring some attention from different sectors. So starting with AOTA, but there’s a lot going on even statewide with the Colorado Department of Transportation, nationally with AARP and other partners to promote this week. It’s always the first full week of December so this year is December 7th through the 11th to encourage people to think about and talk about older driver safety.
Cynthia...
