On the road again.
That's the American way-getting behind the wheel and going wherever we want.
But what happens when we lose that source of independence?
At Sunnyview Rehabilitation Hospital, we understand that driving a motor vehicle can be the focal point of a person's life. When a disabled or elderly person can no longer drive a car, the results can be devastating.
That's when Sunnyview can help.
In the northeast region of New York, Sunnyview's Driver Training Center offers the most comprehensive program of driver assessment, training, retraining, consulting about adaptive driving devices, and on-the-road evaluation for the disabled and elderly. In fact, Sunnyview is the only area hospital with such a program available to the public.
Our trained driver rehabilitation specialists discuss all findings and recommendations with clients and family members, as well as assisting with license renewal information as needed.
From Pre-Assessment to the Road.
The program is available to any license-eligible driver, 16 years or older, and begins with a pre-driving assessment of the person's physical, visual/perceptual, and cognitive status. We evaluate:
Following the pre-assessment, Sunnyview's driver rehabilitation specialists complete a behind-the-wheel evaluation to assess the individual driver's traffic safety potential.
If our staff identifies
problems, they work with the client and family to address and solve such
issues. This may mean training the client and/or installing adaptive equipment
to help maximize driving safety.
Our driver education vehicles are equipped with a variety of assistive devices and modified controls for those in need of such equipment. Our certified driving instructors are qualified to assess all areas of driving ability and safety.
Finally, on the basis
of this process, our staff selects special equipment for the client's
own vehicle and recommends local vendors for the actual installation work.
Following installation, Sunnyview staff will check that it has been placed
properly in the vehicle to enhance client safety. Additionally, our staff
provides supplemental training with the new equipment, if needed.
The goal is safety.
And getting back on the road.
Over the years, Sunnyview
has trained countless drivers with a wide variety of disabilities, but
we are increasingly finding the need for assessing elderly drivers. The
goal of the program is to promote continued independence through safe
driving practices.
The information gathered from evaluation and training sessions can give individuals valuable insight into techniques to make their driving experience a safe one. It can help determine if any restrictions are necessary, as well as provide family members with the peace of mind of knowing that their loved ones are indeed capable of driving safely, thanks to the extensive training and wide range of assistive devices available at Sunnyview Rehabilitation Hospital.
Call us to learn more.
Sunnyview Rehabilitation Hospital is a 104-bed regional rehabilitation facility serving as many as 10,000 inpatients and outpatients annually. Sunnyview is the most comprehensive rehabilitation facility in the region, serving people of all ages from children to adults, and is one of only four such hospitals in New York State. In 2000, U.S. News & World Report named Sunnyview as one of the top hospitals in the nation for rheumatology.
Sunnyview offers a wide range of services, including stroke prevention and treatment, cardiac rehabilitation, traumatic brain injury treatment, spinal cord injury treatment, osteoporosis treatment, prevention and detection, speech and hearing services, psychological services for the patient and family members, pulmonary rehabilitation and services to treat peripheral vascular disease.
Sunnyview is one of
a select group of hospitals with national accreditation from the Commission
on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) and is the only area
hospital to have
earned prestigious national program certification for its pulmonary rehabilitation
program from the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary
Rehabilitation. Sunnyview recently joined the Professional Partners Network
of the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF), America's only voluntary
health organization dedicated to reducing the widespread prevalence of
osteoporosis through education.
For further information,
about driver training, contact Sunnyview Rehabilitation Hospital, 1270
Belmont Avenue, Schenectady, NY 12308, 518-382-4513, www.sunnyview.org.
