In our four years of existence, many things have changed. Policies and procedures have been added and tweaked, new programs developed, our service area has expanded ten-fold, new training and recruitment platforms have been adopted, lesson plans adjusted, and even changes in our staff.
One thing that has not changed is our vision for the future. At Keeping Us Safe, we are very clear about where we are going and what we plan to accomplish. Much thought, planning and effort are dedicated to helping us achieve our mission:
“The mission of Keeping Us Safe is to dedicate itself to improving the mortality rate of older drivers and drivers with certain disabilities. We will accomplish this by working one-on-one with the older driver, and by developing and delivering education programs to older drivers and their families, geriatric professionals, and the public in general. We will further enhance our service to others by forming meaningful and beneficial partnerships with members of the medical, geriatric, criminal justice and highway safety communities.”
Organizational change and success go hand-in-hand. Change is needed to stay ahead of developing trends and new technologies. For an organization to find itself on the leading edge of best practices for any given discipline, the ability to change and adapt quickly and appropriately is paramount. At Keeping Us Safe, our change, past, present and future will bring us closer to the attainment of our Mission Statement, and will help ensure that we are providing the absolute best products and services to those we serve.
Our success is not measured by revenues earned. Our success is measured by the number of families we serve. It is measured by the number of older driver’s lives we touch in a positive way, and most importantly, it is measured by the potential number of lives saved.
The individuals that are helping us achieve this lofty goal are our Certified “Beyond Driving with Dignity” Professionals. Deployed throughout the United States and Canada, these professionals are the key to Keeping Us Safe’s success. They are, on a daily basis, touching the lives of older drivers and their families in a very positive way. Our “Beyond Driving with Dignity” Professionals are trained to help older drivers with significantly diminished driving skills make a smooth transition from the driver’s seat to the passenger seat. The venue used in this challenging transition is our “Self-Assessment Program” for older drivers.
Our “Beyond Driving with Dignity” Professionals come from all walks of life and professional backgrounds. From business owners (both large and small) to therapists, nurses, retirees, police officers, counselors, authors and professional speakers, social workers, geriatric care managers, health care administrators, safety specialists, marketing professionals, activity coordinators, physical therapists, educators, senior move managers, technology experts and Certified Senior Advisors.
Each of our “Beyond Driving with Dignity” Professionals has a sincere desire and passion to help others. Many have been doing so for most of their professional lives. Each of these professionals has demonstrated the innate ability to bring calm and stability to uncomfortable situations and conversations. Our BDD Professionals understand the meaning and value of helping an individual maintain his or her dignity as they face a driving retirement. Our BDD Professionals are instilled with the mindset that a driving retirement may mean a loss of convenience, but should never mean a loss of independence, and they approach each session with that fundamental thought.
Their eagerness and dedication to helping families in need, combined with their individual personal attributes are why Keeping Us Safe has so much reason to celebrate its fourth birthday.
As we believe at Keeping Us Safe, “ To the world you might be one person. To one person…you might be the world” (author unknown).
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.
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