A few dozen mid-Missouri senior citizens now have improved safety with their vehicles, thanks to occupational therapy students from the University of Missouri’s College of Health Sciences.
The students turned out during a recent event in cold weather and wind at Columbia Mall to help seniors improve their driving safety. It’s part of Mizzou’s annual CarFit event. Mizzou clinical professor Lea Ann Lowery tells 939 the Eagle that the event helps seniors:
“We know that being able to drive and stay mobile in the community is important for seniors as they age. People that aren’t able to drive have a lot more negative consequences such as isolation and depression,” Ms. Lowery says.
The Mizzou students assessed and adjusted vehicles to ensure that older drivers have the right distance from the steering wheel, correct seat height and properly aligned mirrors. It’s part of a partnership between Mizzou and CarFit. CarFit is a program created by the American Automobile Association (AAA), the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) and the American Occupational Therapy Association.
Professor Lowery tells 939 the Eagle that a grandmother of one of her students came out to get her car adjusted, as did a number of other senior citizens:
“Sometimes people are nervous about coming out, but we’ve got a lot of tips and pointers about just mirror adjustments for blind spots. And we have some equipment that we can show people if they’re having difficulty with joint replacements or backs or sometimes being able to move your neck well,” Ms. Lowery says.
Professor Lowery says two sets of students participated in the event.
