Keeping Us Safe is pleased to announce that Pacifica Senior Living Belleair (formally known as The Villas of Belleair) has been selected the host the Florida’s 2012 Inaugural Class of the “Beyond Driving with Dignity” Professional Certification program, scheduled for March 15, 2012.
The “Beyond Driving with Dignity” Professional Certification program is a nationally-recognized training program designed to arm qualifying professionals with the tools necessary to help older drivers and their families work through the complicated, sensitive and often-times emotional issue of age-related diminishing driving skills.
Graduates of the program will then be well-suited to provide older drivers and their families with a very specific program that will help them make appropriate decisions on how to keep the older driver safe as he or she progresses through the natural aging process.
The “Beyond Driving with Dignity” Professional Certification program is designed to be a common-sense approach to help facilitate (and often times mediate!) rational, driving-related solutions based on tangible facts and personal observations. “Beyond Driving with Dignity; The workbook for the families of older drivers” serves as the foundation of the certification program.
According to the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties are two of the State’s top 10 counties with a population of adults over the age of 60. “The goal of the Beyond Driving with Dignity program is to help keep seniors independent and driving for as long as possible, but when in the interest of safety a driving retirement becomes appropriate, we help the individual make a smooth transition from the driver’s seat to the passenger seat” says Matt Gurwell, Founder & CEO of Keeping Us Safe.
Pacifica Senior Living Belleair was selected to host the training session because they have been recognized as an elite senior service provider in the greater Tampa/Clearwater area. Gurwell added “Pacifica Senior Living Belleair provides a very high level of professional care to their residents in the areas of memory and Parkinson’s care, both of which can be debilitating to an older driver”.
“Beyond Driving with Dignity” professionals receive annual in-service trainings and are required to meet strict standards of professionalism to maintain their certification. For more information on the program visit www.keepingussafe.org.
Openings are still available for the March 15, 2012 session, but register soon as the class is expected to fill quickly. http://keepingussafe.org/linked/brochurebddprofessionalcertification022712.pdf
Matt Gurwell is the developer of the nationally-recognized “Beyond Driving with Dignity” program. He currently lectures throughout the United States on topics related to the aging process and its adverse affects on driving skills. As developer of this life-saving program, Matt’s mission is to provide strategies and guidance to seniors that will help them to continue driving safely until the decision is made to retire from their driving career. The “Beyond Driving with Dignity” program also provides an excellent array of services and resources for both families and professionals as they deal with this very sensitive issue. Matt retired from a very distinguished and successful 24-year career as an Assistant District Commander with the Ohio State Highway Patrol. After leaving the Patrol, Matt has participated in a tremendous amount of work in the area of older driver research, best practices, current vehicle safety technologies, and adaptive equipment. Matt's creative, innovative and common sense approach, combined with his uncanny ability to bring calm and resolve to stressful situations without ever jeopardizing the dignity of others, has contributed greatly to the success of the “Beyond Driving with Dignity” program. When asked what the ultimate motivation was for starting the program, Matt explains: "There was never one particular event. It was the result of 20-plus years of holding dying people in my arms at terrible car accidents, and delivering dozens and dozens of death notifications to families. I would much rather work with families to bring a peaceful resolve to this sensitive and uncomfortable issue now, rather than have them deal with it when a State Trooper is knocking on their front door". Matt serves as Senior Care Authority’s Program Director for the “Beyond Driving with Dignity” program. Senior Care Authority (https://www.seniorcareauthority.com) is now the nation’s exclusive provider of the “Beyond Driving with Dignity” program.
One Comment
Hal
Why not just stipulate eye, ear, reading and driving tests each year after 65+ instead of automatic renewals...who cares about dignity more than caring about safety.
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