Letters to the Editor

Orlando Health promotes safe driving

Over the course of six years, the Orlando Health Center for Aging Memory Disorder Clinic has developed an Aging & Driving Safety program, which addresses the needs of healthy, aging seniors as well as those with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

As drivers age, they often experience normal changes, which may impact driving skills. Vision can dim, flexibility and mobility may diminish and reaction times can slow somewhat. Often aging drivers can compensate for such changes with adaptive devices, occupational and physical therapy, and simple adjustments to their vehicles.

Seniors with significant cognitive impairment are another matter. When an aging driver is unfortunate enough to develop cognitive problems sufficient to interfere with his or her activities of daily living, driving skills can be profoundly impacted. Research indicates that 30 percent of drivers with dementia are predicted to have a crash at some point during the moderate stages of the disease. The risk of becoming lost in familiar places also increases.

The MDC Aging & Driving Safety program works hand-in-hand with organizations and leading experts in senior driving safety such as the Florida Department of Elder Affairs (DoEA), Fran Carlin Rogers, Share the Care, Senior Resource Alliance and others to educate patients, their caregivers and the community at large about the varied issues related to aging and driving safety. For example:

Is my car adjusted properly for safe driving?

What physical or cognitive changes might I expect as I age, and how will they impact my driving?

How will I know when it is time for me (or my loved one) to stop driving?

My loved one has a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment. Are they safe to drive?

How does my transportation organization safely transport dementia patients?

The Orlando Health Center for Aging MDC takes a multi-pronged approach to addressing driving safety for seniors:

The MDC participates in a national community outreach and education program called CarFit. Seniors are invited to drive their vehicles to a CarFit event where trained representatives and occupational therapists assess the driver’s “fit” with their vehicle for comfort and ultimately, safety.

The MDC clinical team maintains a standard practice of talking with patients and caregivers about their driving habits and driving safety.

If further evaluation of driving skills is warranted, MDC physicians and/or neuropsychologists refer patients to occupational therapy at Orlando Health’s Rehabilitation Institute or to other organizations such as DriveABLE.

Recently, the MDC and nine other state-designated memory clinics have joined hands with law enforcement to strengthen the Silver Alert program, which aids local law enforcement in the rescue or recovery of a missing elderly person known to be at risk for memory loss. State-designated memory clinics across the state will work closely with law enforcement to offer follow up and support for cognitively impaired drivers who have been lost — and then found — through the Silver Alert program.

Fortunately, there are a growing number of providers who offer alternative transportation for those who have decided to give up their driving privileges. Visit tinyurl.com/OrlandoHealthMemoryClinic for more information.

—Susan Dorries

Manager of Orlando Health’s

Memory Disorder Center

‘Overqualified?’ How to Deal with the O-Word in Your Job Search

“Aren’t you overqualified?” Some older workers say this question is code for “You’re too old.” But it’s not as simple as that.

Sometimes you will have more qualifications than the job requires. Perhaps you’re applying because you want more flexibility or to return to work that you miss. At other times, your qualifications will be exactly right, but you sense underlying concerns about your age. Whatever the case, it’s your job to anticipate the “overqualified” issue and to sell yourself as a strong candidate.

Adapt your resume:

If you’re applying for jobs at a lower level than those you’ve held in the past, you can adapt your resume in several ways:

• Shorten your work history, selecting only the most relevant skills.

• Downplay high-level qualifications that aren’t required for the job.

• Omit degrees and certifications that make you look too educated for the job.

• Stress teamwork rather than leadership, using words like “coordinated” or “collaborated”.

Be prepared for the interview:

The job interview is often the place where the “overqualified” question comes up. In a recent AARP webinar on job interviews, career professional Camille Grabowski pointed out that the employer may be worried about one of five things:

• You will be bored.

• Pay may be too low.

• You will leave for a better opportunity.

• You may want a quick promotion.

• You may want the interviewer’s job.

If asked about being overqualified, start by asking the interviewer, “Can you tell me more about your concern?” Have an answer prepared for each of the points listed above, and practice until you know you can answer convincingly.

Grabowski offers this example: “It’s true that I have held higher-level positions and have experience managing people. I truly enjoyed that part of my career. However, I am at a different stage in my career now, and would like to return to the hands-on part of the job I have always loved. That is why this position appeals to me so much.”

Use statements like this even if the word “overqualified” is not used directly. You’ll appear stronger if you address unspoken concerns rather than ignore them.

Sell yourself—but don’t overwhelm:

Another tactic is to turn your qualifications into reasons to hire you. For example, if hired you would be able to get up to speed quickly because of your well-developed skills. Other advantages might be your proven ability to solve problems, work without close supervision or mentor others.

When you bring up these qualities, do so in a non-threatening way. For example, instead of trumpeting your high-level management skills, talk about times when you successfully collaborated with other team members.

Dealing with the “O-word” comes down to showing you are the right “fit” for the job. With preparation and confidence, you’ll help the employer see you not as overqualified but as the best-qualified applicant.

For more about the overqualified label and other topics, see AARP’s Job Tips for 50+ Workers at www.aarp.org/jobtips

—Deborah Russell

Director, Workforce Issues

AARP Education and Outreach