Keeping Us Safe, a national organization based in Cleveland, Ohio will be holding its inaugural west coast “Beyond Driving with Dignity’ training and certification course for professionals in the greater Los Angeles area on March 1, 2012. This is the first time the course has been offered in California (classes are also schedule for Tampa and Seattle during the month of March, 2012).
The certification program has been designed to provide professionals with the additional tools necessary to help older drivers and their families work through the complicated issue of diminishing driving skills caused by the aging process.
Matt Gurwell, Founder & CEO of Keeping Us Safe explains that the “Beyond Driving with Dignity” Professional Certification program is not built around the premeditated goal of “taking the keys away” from an older driver.
Gurwell explains “the program is designed to help the older driver and concerned family members make appropriate decisions on the future of the individual’s safe driving career. It is true that in certain circumstances, this may involve assisting the older driver in making a smooth and permanent transition from the driver’s seat to the passenger seat.”
The certification program is based on Keeping Us Safe’s self-assessment program for older drivers, along with their recently published “Beyond Driving with Dignity; The workbook for the families of older drivers”.
When asked what prompted the development of the Beyond Driving with Dignity program, Gurwell (a retired Ohio State Trooper) explains "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".
In addition to Newport Beach, this unique certification program is also being offered in Seattle, Tampa, Baton Rouge, Minneapolis, Toronto and Denver.
More information on the program is available at: http://keepingussafe.org/linked/brochurebddprofessionalcertification020712.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.
Comments for this article are closed.