Keeping Us Safe will be offering their nationally-recognized “Beyond Driving with Dignity” Professional Certification course in Florida on June 14, 2012. This one-day training program will provide qualifying Florida professionals with skills in Keeping Us Safe’s nationally recognized self-assessment program for older drivers.
According to the TRIP (a national transportation research group) report released February 22, 2012, traffic fatalities among older drivers remains disproportionally high. The report also shows that Florida actually leads the nation in the number of senior citizens killed in traffic accidents.
Keeping Us Safe has developed a unique program to help combat those statistics, not only in Florida, but across the country.
Developed by a retired Ohio State Trooper, Matt Gurwell explains that the “Beyond Driving with Dignity” Professional Certification program was developed to arm qualifying professionals with the tools necessary to help older drivers and their families work through the complicated issue of age-related diminishing driving skills.
The training program provides attendees with a very pro-active, targeted program that will help older drivers and their loved ones work through what can be a very complex, sensitive and emotional issue.
The Certified Beyond Driving with Dignity Professional will receive training in:
– Evolving a concerned family’s opinion and speculation into solid, tangible facts
– Helping the older driver and his or her family make appropriate driving related decisions
– Providing a viable, practical plan that will help ensure a smooth driving retirement, or in helping the older
driver self-impose appropriate driving restrictions
– Creating a culture of ongoing support to help the older driver and his/her family meet transportation needs
– Ensuring there is minimal disruption to the older driver’s personal independence, dignity and feelings of
self-worth during this transition process, and beyond
The Florida class of the “Beyond Driving with Dignity” Professional Certification class is expected to fill quickly, so early registration is encouraged. The class is not currently scheduled to be offered again in Florida until 2013. To learn more about the certification program, visit http://www.keepingussafe.org.
Keeping Us Safe currently has “Beyond Driving with Dignity” professionals trained in the states of Ohio, Michigan, Texas, North Carolina, Indiana, Tennessee and Arizona. In May, 2012, the program will be expanding into Canada.
Platinum sponsors for the June 14th class include Lifelines Academy & Network members Aging Wisely, LLC (providing elder care services in Pinellas, Pasco and Hillsborough counties), and Cynthia Touchton (Senior Investment Consultant with Robert W. Baird & Co. in Pinellas County).
Gold sponsors include Harmony Home Health, Montefu Consulting, Welcome Home Relocation, Nataly Rubinstein, The Kantner Law Firm, and House to Home Relocation.
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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