Sally Wilse, owner of Seniors Helping Seniors UK also helps run the Canterbury and Thanet office of Seniors Helping Seniors. She says, “There is so much to love about running our elderly care company. Our work is about reducing stigma, dispelling stereotypes, taking away fear, keeping people safe and optimistic – We ensure people are heard and we try things before we recommend them. Experience matters.”
Outside the care hours, Seniors Helping Seniors work around issues that concern the ageing population.
The mature driving course is a new initiative run by Kent Road Safety and when Sally heard about a village hall presentation, she got in touch with the organisers to find out more.
Sally says, “We provide a lot of service around taking people to important events, and appointments because clients don’t like to drive when they are stressed. Driving can be an emotional issue for our clients. People protect their independence and yet there are challenges around medication, reduced mobility, eyesight and other health issues.”
Sally says, “We agreed to go along to hear how the important questions were handled. I wanted to find out if it could be useful to our clients. I asked a client to join me because, even though I qualify as a mature driver myself, I wanted to find out how the messages landed on someone who has a different experience around all this to me. “
Sally says “It was an optimistic session about keeping people on the road enjoying their driving safely. Some very scary statistics were shared, and some well-known press stories about drivers using the wrong pedals; hitting pedals too hard because of the loss of sensation in the feet from Diabetes etc. Crucially this was a safe space. People were heard.”
Sally says “We left with heaps of practical advice, top tips, new knowledge, and renewed optimism.”
The client Sally took along said, “As a mid-eighties driver I found it really beneficial. I’d recommend it to anyone who is concerned."
Seniors Helping Seniors is now working with the safer road users’ team at Kent County Council to encourage more drivers to attend.
Sally says, “I am thrilled to be able to guide our clients and customers to the next Mature Driving course because I know they will be protected to ask the questions that really bother them. I’ll tell families that it is possible to drive responsibly and safely with age. I’ll point people to the most up to date information.” I will also help connect our offices to their road safety teams.