Keeping Seniors Safe

Karen is a relative newcomer to Working Solutions, but she’s long on experience in serving others.

As an agent, she helps customers find senior care for loved ones, and has been doing so since March 2015. Karen draws on firsthand experience, having taken care of her mother before she passed away.

Previously, Karen was involved in sales and leadership training at Dale Carnegie. “I love training and teaching, and I like working with older people.”

Staying Safe

Soon after joining Working Solutions, she looked for a volunteer opportunity. With her love for working with the elderly, Karen signed up as a teacher for the AARP Driver Safety program in Palm Coast, Florida.

The six-hour program, which includes classroom instruction and videos, helps keep older drivers “independent, safe and confident while on the road.” It also saves on car insurance.

“The program focuses on aging and how it affects your driving,” said Karen. “It addresses things seniors need to be aware of as their vision changes, reflexes change, traffic changes and cars change. It’s a really good course.”

Fulfills a Need

After being certified as an instructor, she teaches one class a month of about 30 students. The class is so popular AARP can’t get instructors fast enough to meet demand, she said. And there’s definitely a need.

Among drivers 65 years and older, 586 were injured and 15 killed on average in crashes in one year, according to recent statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Fatal crash rates increase noticeably, starting at ages 70 to 74.

“People come to the class because they want to learn. And the course is well-designed, so it doesn’t feel like a six-hour day,” Karen said. “I like interacting with the people. There are so many different personalities in the room. They’re all nice to be around.”

“I love training and teaching, and I like working with older people.” — Karen, agent since 2015