THE REVERE ADVOCATE - Friday, February 8, 2019 Page 19 called “Thimble Theater” featured the Oyl family and what sailor? by Jim Miller Helping Seniors Extend Their Driving Years Dear Savvy Senior, What tips or resources can you recommend to help elderly seniors extend their driving years? My dad, who’s 82, is still a decent driver, but I worry about his safety going forward. Inquiring Daughter Dear Inquiring, With more than 40 million licensed drivers in the U.S. over the age of 65, there are lots of resources available today to help keep older drivers safe and behind the wheel longer. Here are some simple steps you can take to help keep your dad driving safely. Get his eyes checked: Because about 90 percent of the information necessary to drive is received through our eyes, getting your dad’s eyes checked every year to be sure his vision and eyewear is up to par is an important fi rst step. Check his meds: Does your dad take any medicine or combination of medicines that make him sleepy, light-headed or loopy? If so, make a list of all his medications (prescription and over-the-counter) and dietary supplements, and take it to his doctor or pharmacist for a review. You can also get help with this online at RoadwiseRX.com. Evaluate his driving: To stay on top of any potential driving issues, you should take a ride with your dad from time-totime watching for problem areas, such as: Does he drive at inappropriate speeds, tailgate or drift between lanes? Does he have diffi culty seeing, backing up or changing lanes? Does he react slowly, get confused easily or make poor driving decisions? For more tips, see the National Caregivers Library driving assessment checklist at SeniorDriverChecklist.org. If your dad needs a more thorough evaluation, you can turn to a driver rehabilitation specialist who’s trained to evaluate older drivers. This type of assessment typically costs between $100 and $200. To locate a professional in your area, visit AOTA.org/older-driver or ADED.net. Take a refresher course: AAA and AARP both have older driver refresher courses that can help your dad tune-up his driving skills, and learn how to adjust for slower refl exes, weaker vision and other age-related changes that aff ect driving. Taking a class may also earn him a discount on his auto insurance. To locate a class, contact your local AAA (AAA. com), or AARP (AARP.org/drive, 888-227-7669). Most courses cost around $15 to $30 and can be taken in the classroom or online. Another good resource to look into is CarFit. This is a free assessment program that will help your dad adjust his vehicle for a better fi t, making it easier and safer to drive. CarFit events are held around the country in select locations. See Car-Fit.org to look for one near you. Make some adjustments: Recognizing your dad’s driving vulnerabilities and making small changes on when and where he drives can go a long way in helping keep him safe and driving longer. Adjustments may include not driving after dark or during rush hour traffi c, avoiding major highways or other busy roads, and not driving in poor weather conditions. You can fi nd more tips at AAA Senior Driving at SeniorDriving.AAA.com. And fi nally, when it gets to the point that your dad’s driving isn’t safe anymore and he needs to quit, The Hartford Financial Services Group and MIT AgeLab off ers two helpful resources. Go to TheHartford.com/lifetime – click on “Publications” on the menu bar – and download or order the “At the Crossroads” and/or “We Need to Talk” guides. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. 1. On Feb. 8, 1910, what youth organization was founded? (Hint: BSA.) 2. What flower is most traditional for Valentine’s Day? 3. What screen actress starred in “Places in the Heart,” “Steel Magnolias” and “Norma Rae”? 4. Who wrote the “Little Old New York” newspaper column and went on to host “The Toast of the Town”? (Hint: that show was later named after him.) 5. In February 1999 whose 1968 Heisman Trophy was auctioned for $230,000? 6. The comic strip first 7. Which is nicknamed The Sooner State, Kansas or Oklahoma? 8. On Feb. 9, 1875, the Hoosac Tunnel had its inaugural train run between the town of Florida and what Berkshire County city? 9. On the 6th floor of what Washington, D.C., building would you find a basketball court called The Highest Court in the Land? 10. On Feb. 10, 1893, what multitalented performer was born? (Hint: Schnozzola.) 11. What reality show has the catchphrase “The tribe has spoken”? 12. In what Shirley Temple song would you find “the sunny beach of Peppermint Bay”? 13. Who had a big hit singing about burning love? 14. What has been called “love apple”? 15. How many chambers are in the human heart? 16. In which southern U.S. state is the International Swimming Hall of Fame Museum? 17. In the novel “A Study in Scarlet,” what detective and his sidekick meet? 18. What is measured in kelvins? 19. In which four intersecting U.S. states is the “Four Corners” region? 20. What Italian-American silent film star’s NYC funeral had about 100,000 fans lining the streets? Answers below, please no cheating! FROM PAGE 20 Looking for a home loan? WE ’RE HERE TO DO RIGHT BY YOU . 15 YEAR 30 YEAR .% RATE .% RATE L .% APR* .% APR* Learn more about our rates at EVERETTBANK . COM 1. The Boy Scouts of America 2. Rose 3. Sally Field 4. Ed Sullivan 5. O. J. Simpson’s 6. Popeye 7. Oklahoma 8. North Adams 9. The U.S. Supreme Court Building 10. Jimmy Durante 11. “Survivor” 12. “The Good Ship Lollipop” 13. Elvis Presley 14. The tomato 15. Four 16. Florida (Ft. Lauderdale) 17. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson 18. Temperature 19. Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah 20. Rudolph Valen no’s
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