We know senior center staff work hard every day to provide programming options and support for the older adults in their community. This Senior Center Month, the Clearinghouse for Older Road User Safety (ChORUS) wants to celebrate and support the good work that senior centers do. At ChORUS, we have many free resources to help senior centers provide support and programming around older adult traffic safety, whether the person is a driver, a passenger, a pedestrian, or a cyclist. We have materials for use and reference all throughout the year. Below are some actions you can take to help the older adults improve their safety on the road:
- Add ChORUS to your website! We have resources for older adults, their families, and their caregivers, from behavioral changes an older driver can make to stay safer while driving to how a family member can begin the conversation about possible driving retirement for the older adult in their life.
- Add ChORUS handouts to your information table or bulletin board. We have a handout for general information that gives the background of the resources and information ChORUS has to offer. We also have handouts that can help older adults plan for their transportation as they age, including our new Transportation Planning Tool.
- Post our slides in your lobby area! We’ve created multiple slides around older road user safety along topics such as:
- staying active helps older drivers stay safer,
- planning for a road trip,
- planning for their transportation needs as older adults age, and
- finding alternate transportation in the community.
- Share our infographics! We’ve developed infographics encouraging older adults to stay fit, get regular eye and ear exams, along with crash statistics to help keep older adults informed of the risks of driving as they age.
- Ask seniors at your center to tell their stories. We want to hear from your community! Tell us about a time when you, a loved one, or someone you care for in your personal or professional life adjusted their driving or transportation plan for safety and the impact that it had on your/their wellness.
Thank you for all the work you do every day to provide older adults in your community the resources they need to stay active, connected, and supported as they age.