ACC-OC Students Help Seniors Get 'CarFit'

Everybody wants to fit in — especially behind the wheel.

This June, the occupational therapy assistant and physical therapist assistant departments at American Career College-Orange County helped make sure seniors had the proper "CarFit," according to OTA instructor Cindy Garcia.

Checklist: Does Your Car Fit You?

CarFit is a community-based program that provides a quick, yet comprehensive 12-point check of how well you and your car work together.

1: Determining How Many People Drive The Car
2: Vehicle Seat Belt
3: Steering Wheel Tilt & Head Restraint
4: Distance From Breastbone To Wheel
5: Line Of Sight Above Steering Wheel
6: Positioning To Gas Pedal
7: Positioning To Brake Pedal
8: Mirror Use
9: Neck Mobility For Blind Spot Check
10: Ignition Key
11: Operation Of Vehicle Controls
12: Vehicle Walk-Around

Source: AAA

In partnership with the Buena Park Senior Center, the OTA and PTA programs collaborated in training students how to improve traffic safety by educating older drivers on how they fit in their vehicles.

Initiated by the American Society on Aging, CarFit is an effort between AOTA (American Occupational Therapy Association), AARP and AAA to create a 12-point checklist to standardize certain safety issues.

"Students had the opportunity to observe elderly clients, practice their communication skills and engage in a hands-on experience that provided the opportunity to apply classroom knowledge to real-life scenarios," Garcia said. "Upon checkout, the driver speaks to an OT/PT practitioner for a final review of the individual’s unique concerns for suggestions or referrals to their doctor to obtain a prescription for a full assessment, if deemed prudent."

Garcia said one of ACC's field work sponsors — Adam Sanchez, NorthCoast Rehab West Coast regional vice president — generously donated his time as a trainer. In preparation, the ACC students took an online course, followed by an in-class review and mock assessment.

"The community benefitted by having elderly drivers learn proper adjustment of mirrors, seatbelts, to help increase their own safety and the safety of others in the community," Garcia said. "In addition to learning about their responsibilities in CarFit, the students had a positive interaction with one of our fieldwork sponsors who was very encouraging to them."

The Buena Park Senior Center has already requested that the ACC students conduct another CarFit event, Garcia added.

"It has been a long journey to guide this project and to see it come to fruition has been really exciting," she said.

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