Page 16 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, February 2, 2024 avavvyvy avvy S iorn oreniioor a avvy iori by Jim Miller Of Malden. Keeping Older Drivers Safe on the Road Dear Savvy Senior, What safety tips can you recommend for older drivers? My 86-year-old mother, who still drives herself, had a fender bender last month and I worry about her safety. Back Seat Daughter Dear Back Seat, With more and more older Americans driving well into their 70s, 80s and beyond, there are a variety of things your mom can do to help maintain and even improve her driving skills. Here are some recommendations by driving rehabilitation specialists that work with older drivers. Get an eye exam: Because about 90 percent of the information necessary to drive is received through our eyes, this is a good fi rst step in ensuring your mom’s driving safety. So, get your mom’s eyes checked every year to be sure her vision and eyewear is up to par. Get a physical or wellness exam: As people age, it’s also very important to monitor changes in overall health as it relates to driving. Medical conditions like arthritis, dementia, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, sleep apnea and stroke can all affect driving. In addition, many seniors also take multiple medications or combinations of medications that can make them drowsy or lightheaded, which can impair judgment or aff ect refl exes or alertness necessary for safe driving. So, an annual physical or wellness examination and medication review is also a smart way to verify your mom’s driving safety. Take a refresher course: AARP and the American Automobile Association (AAA) both have older driver improvement courses that can help your mom brush up her driving skills and understand how to adjust for slower refl exes, weaker vision and other age-related physical changes that can aff ect driving. Taking a class may also earn her a discount on her auto insurance. To locate a class, contact your local AAA (AAA.com) or AARP (AARPdriversafety.org, 888-227-7669). Most courses cost around $20 to $30 and can be taken online. Make some adjustments: Adjusting when and where your mom drives are another way to help keep her safe and behind the wheel longer. Some simple adjustments 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. Evaluate her driving: To stay on top of your mom’s driving abilities you should take a ride with her from time-to-time watching for problem areas. For example: Does she drive at inappropriate speeds, tailgate or drift between lanes? Does she have diffi culty seeing, backing up or changing lanes? Does she react slowly, get confused easily or make poor driving decisions? For more evaluation tips, AAA off ers a senior driver self-rating assessment exercise (Drivers 65 Plus) that you or she can access at Exchange.AAA.com/safety/senior-driver-safety-mobility. If your mom needs a more thorough evaluation, you can turn to a driver rehabilitation specialist who’s trained to evaluate older drivers and off er suggestions and adaptations to help keep her safe. But be aware that this type of assessment can run anywhere between $100 and $500 or more. To locate a professional in your area, visit ADED.net or AOTA.org – search “driving practitioner directory.” When it gets to the point that your mom’s driving isn’t safe anymore and she needs to quit, you may need to help her create a list of names and phone numbers of family, friends and local transportation services that she can call on for a ride. To fi nd out what transportation services are available in your mom’s area contact the Eldercare Locator (800-677-1116), which will direct you to her area agency on aging for assistance. 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. Passed away peacefully on January 23rd, 2024 at the age of 40. She was born on March 16, 1983 and touched many with her warmth, kindness, and loving spirit. Crystal is survived by her cherished son, Patrick “PT” CalliLEGAL NOTICE INVITATION TO BID CONTRACT 2024-H-1 2024 ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS THE CITY OF MALDEN invites sealed bids for Contract 2024-H-1 of its 2024 Roadway Improvements Program. Bids will be received at the office of the Malden Engineering Department, 215 Pleasant Street, 3rd Floor – Room 340, Malden, MA 02148, until 1:30 PM local time on Thursday, February 22, 2024 and at that place and time will be publicly opened and read aloud. In general, the work of this contract shall consist of the reconstruction of 5 streets, or portions thereof, in various locations totaling approximately 3390 linear feet. The work includes reclamation of existing roadway pavements, excavation of existing pavements by cold planer, adjustment of utility structures, the construction of new roadway pavements, setting and resetting of granite curb, construction and reconstruction of cement concrete sidewalks, driveways and wheelchair ramps, and related appurtenant and incidental work. All bidders must be prequalified by Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) in accordance with 700 CMR 14.00 Prequalification of Contractors and Subcontractors. The contract will only be awarded to a MassDOT prequalified contractor. Contract Documents will become available Thursday, February 08, 2024 and may be examined and/or obtained at the office of the Malden Engineering Department, 215 Pleasant Street, 3rd Floor – Room 340, Malden, MA 02148, Monday through Thursday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. City offices are closed on Fridays. A deposit in the form of a check payable to the “City of Malden, Massachusetts” in the amount of $50.00 will be required for each set of the Contract Documents. A refund of the deposit will be made for Contract Documents returned in good condition within 4 weeks after bids are received. Bidder’s requesting Contract Documents by mail shall include an additional non-refundable check payable to “Hayner/Swanson, Inc.” in the amount of $40.00 per set to cover handling and mailing costs. The bids shall be prepared and submitted in accordance with the Instructions to Bidders. Bids must be accompanied by a bid security, satisfactory to the City, in the amount of five percent (5%) of the total bid. The bid security shall be in the form of a bid bond issued by a company licensed to do business in the Commonwealth; or a certified, treasurer’s or cashier’s check, issued by a responsible bank or trust company, payable to the “City of Malden, Massachusetts”. Cash deposits will not be accepted. A Performance Bond and a Labor and Materials Payment Bond in the amount of one hundred percent (100%) of the bid will be required of the successful bidder. Contracts for work under this Proposal will obligate the Contractor and Subcontractors to comply with applicable Federal, State and local provisions regarding prevailing wage rates, insurances, labor, equal employment opportunity, anti-discrimination and affirmative action. Bids may be held by the City of Malden for a period not to exceed sixty (60) calendar days from the date of the opening of bids for the purpose of reviewing the bids and investigating the qualifications of bidders, prior to awarding the Contract. The City of Malden reserves the right to waive any informalities or to reject any or all bids received if deemed to be in their best interest. CITY OF MALDEN BY Yem Lip, P.E. City Engineer Malden Engineering Department February 2, 2024 OBITUARIES Crystal Ann (Firicano) Squibb nan of Malden, who was the light of her life. She leaves behind her sister, Coralee Barrett and brother-in-law Robert, of Windham, NH as well as her brother, Jesse Firicano and his fiancé Jennifer, of Myrtle Beach, SC. Crystal will be fondly remembered by her nieces and nephew: Amanda D’Amore, Ausjoli Denehy, Diamond Firicano, Alexis Barrett, and Dylan Barrett. She is also survived by many aunts, uncles and cousins. Crystal was preceded in death by her beloved mother and father, Cythina and Antonio Firicano of Malden, as well as her fi ancé, Patrick F. Callinan of Malden. She had a deep love for animals as well as an appreciation for music, fashion, and shopping. However, her most cherished role was that of a devoted mother to her son, PT. OBIT| SEE PAGE 17 LEGAL NOTICE
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