Senior citizen drivers: Now see, hear!

Senior citizens who drive are being urged to have their hearing and vision tested. The Ohio State Highway Patrol, New Life Hearing Aid Center, Eye Care Associates and the Senior News have teamed up with a new campaign, “Leave No Senior Behind,” to raise awareness of the importance of testing for older drivers.

“Proper hearing and vision cannot be overlooked, to ensure driving safety,” said Lt. Chris Heverly of the Canfield post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

Partners for Safety is a program of the OSHP that blends corporate partnerships with innovative initiatives at the local level. Goals include promoting safer highways and public education involving the patrol and residents.

A recent report from Loyola University finds that among the elderly, fatal crashes are on the rise, nearly catching up with the rates of teens. Among the findings:

•People over age 70 have more vehicle deaths per 100,000 people than any other group of drivers except those younger than 25.

•Fifty percent of fatal crashes of drivers 80 years and older involve another vehicle.

•Adults 75 and older have the highest pedestrian death rate.

Hearing health

New Life Hearing Aid Center, which has offices in Boardman, Salem and East Liverpool, is offering free hearing testing for anyone who drives and thinks they may suffer from hearing loss. The company also asks physicians if they have any patients they think may suffer from hearing loss to send them to New Life and get a free audiometric hearing report.

•Some signs of hearing loss:

•Asking others to repeat themselves.

•Trouble hearing on the telephone

•Turning the TV up louder than others

•Trouble hearing softer voices

•Difficulty hearing with background noise.

Edward Hofsess, CEO of New Life, said: Play it safe! If you are over the age of 60, you should have your tearing tested.”

He said that about one-third of people over age 65 are hearing impaired. Since the loss happens gradually, seniors may not realize they can’t hear emergency sirens, honking horns or approaching motorcycles.

For more information, call New Life at (330) 726-2440, (800) 499-1121, or (330) 385-1309..

Importance of vision

The law in Ohio requires drivers to take a vision test every four years when they renew their licenses. So, it’s important to keep your eyes healthy. Seniors who wear glasses must make sure their prescription is current. A yearly vision exam is also recommended.

The professionals at Eye Care Associates not only check the need for glasses or contacts, they also screen for a variety of conditions and diseases of the eye, including glaucoma, macular degeneration and cataracts.

If you have a family history of eye disease high blood pressure or diabetes, you may need to visit a specialist twice a year.

Consult a doctor right away if you notice changes in your vision. Trouble signs include double or blurred vision, halos around lights, parts of letters or words missing from a printed page, difficulty judging depth perception on stairs or curbs, faded or distorted print, washed-out or faded colors, inability to see faces clearly, sparks of light, sudden pain in the eye or the sudden appearance of “floaters” in your line of vision.

For more information, call the patient adviser at (330) 747-2733 or visit online at www.eyecareassociates.com.