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BEHIND
THE WHEEL OF A DRIVING SIMULATOR, SENIORS TAKE CONTROL
OF THEIR MOBILITY
AND SAFETY
Santa Monica, October 18, 2005
SANTA MONICA (October 18, 2005) - They will maneuver
through busy streets and around traffic circles, yield
to pedestrians, stay alert for unexpected hazards and
watch for changes in conditions and speed limits. And
when they are finished, the 18 or 20 senior citizens
will step away from their driving simulator consoles
with a new appreciation for their skills and sometimes
an awareness of areas that could use improvement.
This month's Driving Simulation Program, coordinated
by WISE Senior Services and presented by the Santa Monica
Police Department, will be held from 9 a.m. to noon
Wednesday, Oct.19 at WISE's corporate location at 1527
4th Street in Santa Monica.
"One of the most significant factors determining quality
of life is the ability to remain independent, and many
of us, regardless of age, tend to equate independence
with driving," said Grace Cheng Braun, president and
chief executive officer of WISE. "Providing the Driving
Simulation Program is one way we can help many seniors
continue to be self-sufficient, responsible and, above
all, safe."
"The program gives seniors the opportunity to assess
their skills in a variety of driving situations and
helps them feel more comfortable and self-confident
behind the wheel," said Barbara Harrison, director
of Transportation & Mobility Programs at WISE.
Each session begins with an introductory presentation
and the viewing of an educational video. Participants
then make their way to the police department's mobile
driver simulator and audiovisual room, which, at 65
feet in length including truck and trailer, consumes
a major section of the street in front of the WISE office.
The six driver simulation consoles
in the mobile unit consist of all the controls and
equipment found in a car plus a screen that presents
a variety of driving situations. "It's like a
Ford dash, with a steering wheel, turn signals and
windshield wipers. Participants even have to turn
on the ignition," said Sgt. Jay Trisler of the
Santa Monica Police Department's Traffic Division.
Trisler emphasizes that the focus
is on ability, not age, and that officers presenting
the program do not even know the participants' names.
"We make it very clear from the beginning that
we're there for educational purposes only. We say,
'I don't want to know your name. I don't want to know
where you live, or what car you drive,'" he said.
There are no written tests, and participation,
which must be scheduled in advance, is entirely voluntary.
The program is offered free of charge, and although
it is designed for seniors, Harrison said younger
drivers and other family members are encouraged and
welcome to participate at the same time.
"The console simulates an actual
driving experience, but we realize it isn't real-world.
There are no blind spots, and drivers don't have the
level of comfort they have with their own cars,"
Trisler said. "But we're not looking for how
exact they can do it. We're looking for reactions.
Can they make the turns? How fast are they driving?
Are they able to follow the rules and signs on the
roadway? We're looking for cognitive skills."
After their turn on the simulator,
participants reassemble to evaluate the program and
share in a question-and-answer discussion of their
experience. If they did not perform as well as they
expected to on the simulator, they have an opportunity
to assess their skills and discuss possible solutions.
Often, special equipment can be used to compensate,
and many seniors self-limit their driving to conditions,
locations and circumstances in which they feel confident.
"We hope to help relieve the
anxiety they might have in real driving situations
and enable them to become better, safer drivers,"
said Harrison, who has been with WISE, a non-profit
organization, since 1988.
With full funding and support from
Santa Monica, and in collaboration with the city's
Big Blue Bus, WISE Transportation & Mobility offers
a variety of programs including low-cost dial-a-ride
van and taxi services, mobility education and referral,
and pedestrian safety and AARP Driver Safety classes.
"We exist to help seniors and
people with disabilities get from here to there -
safely - whether on foot, by car or by public transportation.
We have developed an excellent partnership and collaborative
relationship with the City of Santa Monica's Transportation
and Police departments to make mobility and safety
programs readily available to members of our community,"
said Harrison, noting that WISE Transportation has
about 4,000 active clients in its database at any
given time.
Recently, the Santa Monica Police
Department received an award from the state attorney
general's office in coordination with the California
Crime Prevention Officer's Association. The award
recognized the department's driving simulator program
and its senior education program for pedestrian safety,
which includes a film produced with actress June Lockhart.
The safety program's theme is "Be Safe. Be Seen."
In addition to transportation programs,
WISE Senior Services provides adult day care, a day
support center for Korean seniors, in-home services
and care management, advocacy services for seniors
in skilled nursing and residential care facilities,
a Retired Senior Volunteer Program that enables seniors
to share their time and skills in the community, and
an elder abuse prevention program.
WISE is partially funded by the City
of Santa Monica, the City of Los Angeles Department
of Aging, the County of Los Angeles Community and
Senior Services, through the Older Americans Act of
1965, as amended, the State of California Department
of Aging, and the Corporation for National Service.
Funding is also generously provided by numerous corporations,
foundations and private donors, including the Archstone
Foundation, Saint John's Health Center, The Ralph
M. Parsons Foundation, the NASD Investor Education
Foundation, The Ahmanson Foundation, The Weingart
Foundation, and more. For a full list of organizations
and individuals who support WISE through grants, cash,
and in-kind donations, please visit us online at
www.wiseseniors.org/cont_honorroll.
For more information about WISE services
and programs, please log on to: www.wiseseniors.org
or call 310.394.9871 x 440.
Media Contact:
Sandy Van or Glenda Collins
E-mail: sandy@prpacific.com
Telephone: 310.394.9871
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