National Volunteer Week Part 2 of 6: Frank J. Kormos, “The Outstanding Older Texan”

by Leah Scanlan AARP Driver Safety Program

Meet Frank.

 Frank has been volunteering in some way since he was 20 years old.

Today, at age 96, Frank is AARP Texas’ oldest volunteer and has 76 years of volunteer experience under his belt.

 Frank started volunteering for the AARP Driver Safety Program in September of 1989. Over the past 21 years, he has served as an Instructor, Assistant State Coordinator, Associate State Coordinator, and most recently a Marketing Specialist for the AARP Driver Safety Program. He has instructed over 150 classes during his volunteer career.

 In 1993, Frank received the “Outstanding Older Texan Award” from the management of the Richardson Senior Center where he taught courses.

As a Marketing Specialist, Frank devotes 20-45 hours a week to answering emails, writing advertisements, assisting other DSP volunteers, and researching new ways to get the word out about the AARP Driver Safety Program. More recently, Frank has embraced social media and has begun using Facebook to reach out to prospective students and volunteers.

 When asked what the most rewarding part about being an AARP Driver Safety Program is Frank replied, “The ability to persuade someone to attend a class that can potentially teach him or her things that will save his or her life.”

 He goes on to explain that the course is much more than just giving people discounts on car insurance. “This course is about saving lives.”

 Frank, the AARP DSP staff would like to thank you for your 21 years of dedication to the AARP Driver Safety Program. You have helped to promote safer driving and make a real difference in the lives of people in your Texas community.

 Do you have a volunteer that you would like to see profiled on our Facebook page? If so, please drive@aarp.org.

For more information on volunteer opportunities with the AARP Driver Safety Program visit: www.aarp.org/driversafetyvolunteers.

Growing Ranks of Older Drivers Among Safest on Florida Roads

Image via Wikipedia
By Angel Streeter

Older adults are rolling. They are the fastest-growing segment of drivers nationwide.

They will drive more miles than previous generations and long into old age.

That may make some people skittish as they envision grandmotherly types inching along the highway with their heads barely above the steering wheel.

But no need to worry: Older adults are among the safest drivers on the roads, according to state and national statistics.

State crash statistics shows that older adults have fewer crashes than young people, who have the highest crash rates, but also fewer than drivers in their 30s, 40s and 50s.

In 2009, the crash rate for 65-year-old Florida drivers was 106.75 per 10,000 licensed drivers. At 75, it was 98.27 and at 85, it was 88.85.

Compare that to 20-year-old drivers at 348.58 crashes per 10,000 licensed drivers. At 40, it was 205.7. At 50, it was 172.86.

That trend bears out nationally as well.
Full Article

Scam Alert: Protect Your Medicare Card From Identity Thieves - AARP Bulletin Today

By: Sid Kirchheimer | Source: AARP Bulletin Today

I recently found a wallet in a parking lot. It belonged to a 66-year-old man and held his driver’s license, $47 in cash, family photos, some credit cards and grocery store cards, and two unscratched lottery tickets.

I don’t know if those tickets proved to be winners; the wallet was quickly returned, intact, to its rightful owner.

But if an identity thief had happened upon that brown billfold, the crook would have hit the jackpot because of one more item it contained: a Medicare card.

That card contains the holder’s Social Security number—the holy grail for thieves. With that number, they can secure new credit in the owner’s name, and if that act goes undetected, the owner’s credit history could be damaged.

Credit cards in a lost wallet might also be used for a brief buying spree, but their loss poses little long-term danger. Cardholders are liable for only $50 in fraudulent charges, no matter their amount, and many card issuers waive even that fee when lost or stolen plastic is promptly reported.

The photocopy defense

So, what’s in your wallet?

If you keep your Medicare card in it, consider this advice:

“You should not carry your Medicare card on a daily basis,” advises Linda Foley of the Identity Theft Resource Center, a California-based advocacy group that helps combat identity theft and assists victims. “Instead, make a photocopy and cut out the last four digits of your Social Security number, or use a black marker to hide them.”
Continue Reading

Elevator-Related Injuries And Older Adults

Image via Wikipedia

from Medical News Today

In the first large-scale epidemiological study of elevator-related injuries in older adults in the United States, researchers from the Indiana University School of Medicine and an Ohio State University colleague report in the January 2010 issue of The Journal of Trauma Injury, Infection, and Critical Care on the frequency, nature and opportunities for prevention of these injuries.

Nearly 120 billion riders enter an estimated 750,000 elevators annually in the U.S. Older adults are more likely to use elevators than stairs or escalators. While elevators are one of the safest forms of transportation, they can pose a real danger for the aging population.

According to U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission data, approximately 44,870 (about 2,640 annually) elevator-related injuries, severe enough to require a visit to a hospital emergency department, occurred in individuals 65 years and older from 1990 to 2006. Hip fracture was the most common diagnosis for the 14 percent admitted to the hospital.

Continue Reading

Related articles by Zemanta

• Watch your step: Elevator-related injuries and older adults (scienceblog.com)

The Continuing Car Key Debate - The New Old Age Blog - NYTimes.com

By PAULA SPAN

We will probably have debates about older drivers for as long as we use cars.

We know, from reams of research findings but also from our own conversations, how important a driver’s license is to older adults. It represents dignity and independence; it encourages social connections. Relinquishing it can bring on isolation, depression and perhaps even premature institutionalization.

Yet we also know that with physical or cognitive decline, some older drivers should simply no longer be on the road, endangering themselves and others.

Only about half the states have adopted any age-related provisions for license renewals, like shorter renewal periods, in-person renewal requirements or vision tests. In fact, some advocacy groups argue against restrictions based on age, promoting instead policies intended to weed out unsafe drivers of all ages.

As the back-and-forth continues, it is useful to look at an analysis recently published in The Gerontologist of years of crash data for drivers 66 and older in British Columbia.
Continue Reading

Perceived Neighborhood Safety and Incident Mobility Disability Among Elders: Abstract and Introduction

Cheryl R Clark; Ichiro Kawachi; Louise Ryan; Karen Ertel; Martha E Fay; Lisa F Berkman

Conclusion: Perceiving a safety hazard due to neighborhood crime was associated with increased risk of incident mobility disability among impoverished elders near retirement age. Consistent with prior literature, retirement age appears to be a vulnerable period with respect to the effect of neighborhood conditions on elder health. Community violence prevention activities should address perceived safety among vulnerable populations, such as low-income elders at retirement age, to reduce future risks of mobility disability.

Read More

S. 1788: A bill to direct the Secretary of Labor to issue an occupational safety and health standard to... (GovTrack.us)

Al Franken via last.fm

A bill to direct the Secretary of Labor to issue an occupational safety and health standard to reduce injuries to patients, direct-care registered nurses, and all other health care workers by establishing a safe patient handling and injury prevention standard, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen. Al Franken [D-MN]

Text

Introduced Oct 15, 2009
Referred to Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions

Updates

Airlines Exclude People with Disabilities from Obtaining Information and Entertainment Services | Even Grounds

Image via Wikipedia

On international flights, it is common practice to have flight attendants who speak several languages to accommodate people who do not speak the local language. But who accommodates people with disabilities who need to have the same information?

Read More

walkinginfo.org: Neighborhoods receive funding to improve pedestrian safety

Community walkability is key for persons with a disability and older persons in order to remain active in their communities. Ten communities from across the U.S. have been selected to receive funding from the UNC Highway Safety Research Center (HSRC) to improve pedestrian safety and help make their environments more “walkable” with the use of the guide, A Resident’s Guide for Creating Safe and Walkable Communities. The following community groups will each receive $2,000 in funding to implement their planned activities related to the guide: Read More

Patient Money - Cost-Effective Ways to Make Homes Safer for Older People - NYTimes.com

By LESLEY ALDERMAN Stay put or sell? That’s the question many older people ponder as they move into their 70s and beyond. Most older people settle on staying put, according to a recent survey by the Home Safety Council, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing home-related injuries. (From the source of the survey, you can see where this column is heading, right?) Read More: Patient Money - Cost-Effective Ways to Make Homes Safer for Older People - NYTimes.com

IIHS Says Senior Motorists In Fewer Deadly Crashes

from Autoblog.com Seniors over the age of 70 have long been associated with unsafe driving, with death rates steadily increasing as more elderly hit the road. At least that's what we thought. A new study by IIHS shows that the death rate of elderly drivers has declined by 21% between 1997 and 2006. The decline was far greater than it was with any other age group, which is even more amazing when considering the fact that elderly drivers increased by 10% during that time. Time behind the wheel has increased as well, with seniors logging far more miles than they have in the past. Some reasons for the decline include healthier, more fit seniors and safer drivers. State governments have also been more diligent in getting unfit seniors off the road with regular skills tests. One study shows that seniors are increasingly aware of the dangers of driving, and limiting drive time at night and on the interstate.

Ho ho woes: Wrap rage results in lacerations and bad tempers

By Victoria Stagg Elliott, AMNews staff. Dec. 22, 2008 in American Medical News Emergency department doctors report that thousands get medical attention annually for wounds related to packaging. Images of colorfully wrapped presents under a Christmas tree are not supposed to trigger feelings of frustration and risks of possible injury. But trends in the packaging of many popular gifts have been diagnosed as the cause of this scenario -- what sometimes is called "wrap rage." The real culprit, of course, is the "clamshell" or "oyster" packaging that encases many toys, electronics and other products. These hard plastic containers have emerged as a favorite of manufacturers and retailers because they protect items during shipping and prevent theft from store shelves, while still allowing shoppers to see what they are buying. The problem for consumers, though, is that these coverings are intensely difficult to remove -- often requiring tools, muscle and swearing. Sometimes the experience results in a trip to the hospital. Statistics show that packaging can be a health hazard. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, an average of 6,000 people a year end up in the emergency department for packaging-related injuries. Many more get minor wounds from using sharp implements to extricate products.

HHS sets rules for confidential medical error reporting system

By Doug Trapp, AMNews staff. Dec. 15, 2008 --  Some patient safety organizations are still figuring out the scope of their analytical services and who will pay their bills.

Final regulations implementing the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005 lay the groundwork for voluntary, confidential, privileged reporting of safety information to groups called patient safety organizations. The rule, released in November, takes effect on Jan. 19, 2009. PSOs now have standards for becoming certified, combining safety data into larger databases and finding error trends.

Final Rule: Patient Safety and Quality Improvement

The Secretary of Health and Human Services is adopting rules to implement certain aspects of the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005, Pub. L. 109-41, 42 U.S.C. 299b-21--b-26 (Patient Safety Act). The final rule establishes a framework by which hospitals, doctors, and other health care providers may voluntarily report information to Patient Safety Organizations (PSOs), on a privileged and confidential basis, for the aggregation and analysis of patient safety events. The final rule outlines the requirements that entities must meet to become PSOs and the processes by which the Secretary will review and accept certifications and list PSOs. It also describes the privilege and confidentiality protections for the information that is assembled and developed by providers and PSOs, the exceptions to these privilege and confidentiality protections, and the procedures for the imposition of civil money penalties for the knowing or reckless impermissible disclosure of patient safety work product. DATES: The final rule is effective on January 19, 2009.

Keeping Track: National Disability Status and Program Performance Indicators

Federal data is used to describe the status of Americans with disabilities and their quality of life. The report measures indicators such as employment, education, health status and health care, financial security, leisure and recreation, personal relationships, and crime and safety. The authors also lay out a road map for the federal government to expand the national disability indicator set, as well as for installing the set into a key national indicator system. Report - PDF Word

Nursing homes advised to report crimes to law enforcement

By Wes Bledsoe in the Norman Transcript

Suspected criminal acts committed against residents of long-term care facilities are to be reported immediately to law enforcement, according to an advisory letter sent Oct. 27 from the Oklahoma State Department of Health to all nursing homes in Oklahoma.

The letter was sent to all nursing facilities, skilled nursing facilities and intermediate care facilities for persons with mental retardation. The letter is in response to appeals by A Perfect Cause and the overwhelming support for action by long-term care residents' families, the Attorney General's Office, Oklahoma County District Attorney's Office, YWCA and Long-Term Care Facilities Advisory Board.

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA): Proposes To Revise Codes & Standards

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) proposes to revise some of its safety codes and standards and requests proposals from the public to amend existing or begin the process of developing new NFPA safety codes and standards. The purpose of this request is to increase public participation in the system used by NFPA to develop its codes and standards. DATES: Interested persons may submit proposals on or before the dates listed with the standards. (See table in the Federal Register notice) Following the Call for Proposals period, the Technical Committee holds a meeting to consider and accept, reject or revise, in whole or in part, all the submitted Proposals. The committee may also develop its own Proposals. A document known as the Report on Proposals, or ROP, is prepared containing all the Public Proposals, the Technical Committee's action and each Proposal, as well as all Committee-generated Proposals. The ROP is then submitted for the approval of the Technical Committee by a formal written ballot. If the ROP does not receive approval by a two-thirds vote calculated in accordance with NFPA rules, the Report is returned to the committee for further consideration and is not published. If the necessary approval is received, the ROP is published in a compilation of Reports on Proposals issued by NFPA twice yearly for public review and comment, and the process continues to the next step. The Reports on Proposals are sent automatically free of charge to all who submitted proposals and each respective committee member, as well as anyone else who requests a copy. All ROPs are also available for free downloading at http://www.nfpa.org. Once the ROP becomes available, there is a 60-day comment period during which anyone may submit a Public Comment on the proposed changes in the ROP. The committee then reconvenes at the end of the comment period and acts on all Comments.

The New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation: Transforming a Public Safety Net Delivery System to Achieve Higher Performance

The New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) is a mission-driven, $5.4 billion, public benefit corporation serving 1.3 million New York City residents—the largest municipal hospital and health care system in the United States. In response to external pressures, HHC has undertaken a series of improvement initiatives that appear to be transforming its organizational culture, systems, and care processes. This case study describes how HHC is achieving higher levels of performance through a common clinical information system that promotes information continuity across care settings, care coordination to improve chronic disease management, teamwork and continuous innovation to improve the quality and value of care, and access to appropriate care that is responsive to patients' needs. Factors that the organization's leaders identify as critical to successful change include strategic use of information technology, leadership to promote collaborative learning and staff initiative, spread of best practices, alignment of financial incentives, and transparency of results.

How to Become a Patient Safety Organization

Interim Guidance Availability AHRQ and OCR are announcing the availability of the guidance entitled ``Implementing the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005 Including How to Become a Patient Safety Organization.'' The Interim Guidance document explains how the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will begin implementing the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005 (Patient Safety Act), how an entity can become a Patient Safety Organization (PSO), and how information may be protected as Patient Safety Work Product (PSWP) in the interim period prior to the promulgation of a final regulation. To access the Interim Guidance, visit AHRQ's PSO Web site at http://www.pso.ahrq.gov. DATES: The Interim Guidance is effective immediately with the publication of this notice. The Interim Guidance will remain effective until the effective date of the final regulation, which is expected to be promulgated before the end of 2008.

GAO: Foresight Issues Challenge DOT on Technology Trends

Trends for certain vulnerable road-user groups point to heightened safety challenges in the years ahead, and DOT is taking some steps to address these. By 2025, the annual number of road fatalities for older drivers may be double what it was in 2005. The main reason for the projected increase is that the first members of the baby boom generation will reach their 65th birthday in 2011, and the number and percentage of Americans older than 65 will steadily increase for several years. In response to this trend, DOT is examining various issues relevant to older drivers (see Band and Perel 2007).