For many adults, driving represents independence and control over our lives – our ability to go where we want, when we want. Most of us need to use a car to get to work, and even if we’re retired, we need a car to run errands and get around.

Driving helps us stay connected with friends and the things we enjoy. It’s especially important in suburban and rural areas, where there are few alternatives to the personal automobile for transportation.

For anyone who’s had the experience of temporarily being unable to drive, we know the disruption that not having access to our personal vehicle causes, for even a day. So it’s understandable that older adults find the prospect of not driving a difficult issue to face.

Surrey Services for Seniors – a Devon-based nonprofit that helps older adults live with independence and dignity and continue as engaged members of the community – will host “Maintaining Mobility with PennDOT, the Pennsylvania Department of Aging, and the AAA Foundation” on Friday, Dec. 8 from 9-10 AM.

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The program – a conversation about safe driving and mobility options for seniors – is a celebration of the American Occupational Therapy Association’s Older Driver Safety Awareness Week, and is free and open to the public. Speakers include:

• Leslie Richards, Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation
• Teresa Osborne, Pennsylvania Secretary of Aging
• Sara Weir, AAA Foundation

Older Driver Safety Awareness Week aims to promote understanding of the importance of mobility and transportation to ensuring older adults remain active in the community – shopping, working, or volunteering – with the confidence that transportation will not be the barrier to strand them at home.

“We’re merging together the two departments, the Department of Transportation and the Department of Aging, for this presentation,” said Drew Wilburne, the Director of Communications for the Department of Aging. “We’re going to cover the whole gamut, from topics involving seniors who drive to the resources that are available for those who don’t.”

A light, complimentary breakfast will be served at the event.

To RSVP, call Nicole Robinson, Program Manager at Surrey Services for Seniors, at 610-647-9172 or e-mail nrobinson@surreyservices.org.

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