Older drivers often face a difficult decision on whether to continue driving or not as they move into their twilight years, but an expo Wednesday seeks to help them stay safe and find alternatives.
The Get Up And Go Older Adult Driving Expo is meant to give aging adults information about a wide range of transportation options.
Sponsors like the Shawnee Mission Medical Center and Rehabilitation Institute of Kansas City will be at KU's Edwards Campus to give participants information about driving assessments they can take at later dates to gauge their driving ability.
Dawn Staton with Jewish Family Services says the assessment process helps families work through tough realities.
"It's sometimes easier to have people assessed to, in a way, have a third party intervene," Staton said. "So it's not the children or other family members taking those keys away, or them telling the person that, 'You know, we don't think you're safe to drive anymore.'"
Staton says presenting public transportation options, modifications like special grips for ailments such as arthritis and limiting what routes an older driver takes can help them keep their independence for as long as possible.
