Columns

Powerless senior citizens aren’t likely to make it across the street safely within the engineered-time allotment. The light changes -- where there is a light -- and traffic roars by. They are left stranded in the intersection. On a median if they’re lucky. Which Berkeley intersections and corners without stop-lights are the most dangerous for powerless senior citizens and disabled persons?  

Many people take for granted ability to cross the street in the time allotted. Engineering studies focus on keeping traffic flowing smoothly. A study published in the March 1997 issue of the American Journal of Public Health showed that, of 1,249 people age 72+, nearly half walked at only two feet per second. Eleven % reported having reservations about crossing major streets. 

A recent United Kingdom investigation compared a walking speed of people aged 65+ with a speed compulsory to use a pedestrian crossing (cross walk). Results suggested that people need to travel faster than 1.2 meters per second to make it safely across. Read about it in Age and Ageing (Brits spell ageing with an ‘e’.) On an 80-foot-wide street, a pedestrian should have about 20 to 25 seconds to cross. The researchers determined that 85% of women walked slower than a 1.2 meters per second over a pedestrian crossing. They also detected that 84% of all participants suffered from a walking impairment. 

About this study, my English third cousin, aged somewhere in the mid-sixties, writes from a London suburb, “… usually referred to as a 'pedestrian crossing'. Some have 'traffic' lights which the pedestrians activate allowing them to cross the road and others are the 'zebra' type with black and white stripes on the road where the motorists are obliged to stop but sometimes ignore the waiting pedestrian and don't stop, but this is the exception. Not like in Europe where the motorists ignore the 'zebra' crossings and you take your life in your hands when you attempt to cross!” 

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Today, nearly 34 million drivers are age 65+. By 2030, federal estimates show there will be about 57 million — a quarter of all licensed drivers. Baby boomers are expected to hang onto their licenses longer, and drive more miles than previous generations. 

Elderly drivers face different laws across the United States. Thirty states plus the District of Columbia have some sort of older-age requirement for driver's licenses, ranging from more vision testing to requiring seniors to renew their licenses more frequently than younger people.  

Illinois has the toughest older-driver laws. A road test to check driving skills is required with every license renewal starting at age 75 — and starting at age 81, those renewals are required every two years instead of every four. At age 87, Illinois drivers must renew annually. 

In Oregon, licenses are renewed every eight years. Starting at age 50, drivers must undergo vision screening with every renewal. Oregon requires certain health care providers to report "severe and uncontrollable" impairments that may affect driving safety, regardless of age. The state also accepts voluntary reports of possibly unsafe drivers. Those people have 60 days to provide updated medical information or undergo certain testing, before license officials determine next steps.  

Maryland starts eye exams at 40. Shorter license renewals kick in anywhere from age 59 in Georgia to 85 in Texas. In Washington, D.C., starting at age 70, drivers must bring a doctor's certification that they are still OK to drive every time they renew their license. New Mexico requires annual renewals at 75. Last year New Hampshire stopped requiring road tests when 75-year-olds renewed their licenses. The law was repealed after an 86-year-old legislator called it discriminatory. 

Eye tests can make a difference. In Florida, 80-year-old persons renew their licenses every six years instead of every eight, with a vision check each time. A study found highway deaths among Florida's older drivers dropped 17% after the vision test was mandated in 2003. 

California has five-year renewals, and starting at 70 they must be in-person with both a written test and eye check. California has five-year renewals, and starting at 70 they must be in-person with both a written test and eye check. In California, older drivers who fail a regular road test sometimes get a re-test on familiar neighborhood roads to qualify for a restricted license. State traffic researchers expect demand for that option to grow, and are preparing to study if that tailored testing really assures safety. 

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration refers to "the real and growing problem of older driver safety." "Birthdays don't kill. Health conditions do," contends the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's AgeLab, which develops technologies to help older people stay active. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, when measured by miles driven, the crash rate of older drivers begins to climb in the 70s, with a sharper jump at age 80. Only teens and 20-somethings do worse. The good news: Fatal crashes involving seniors have dropped over the past decade, perhaps because cars and roads are safer or they are staying healthier. But the oldest drivers, those 85+, still have the highest rate of deadly crashes per mile, even more than teens. Too frail to survive their injuries, they are often the victims. 

Traffic challenges change for older drivers, who are less likely than younger ones to be in crashes involving alcohol or speeding. Instead, they have more trouble with intersections, making left turns, and changing lanes or merging, because of gradual declines in vision, reaction times and other abilities, according to the National Institutes of Health. 

The AAA contends that in-person renewals are "the single most effective thing states can do to improve safety." 

How can people tell how they do on the road? The University of Michigan developed an online self-test to help drivers detect safety changes. 

AAA and AARP offer websites with similar tools and links to driving courses: http://seniordriving.aaa.com/ and http://www.aarp.org/home-garden/transportation/driver_safety/ Some senior centers provide space for AARP training.  

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Driving gets more dangerous with age, but older adults may be more vulnerable while walking on the sidewalk than behind the wheel. Pedestrians age 70+ are five times more likely to die from being hit by a car each time they go out than those age 21-29. But elderly drivers were no more likely to die on the road than those in their twenties. The real issue isn't really safeguarding older drivers, --it's making the road environment safer for pedestrians. 

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is a U.S. non-profit organization funded by auto insurers, established in 1959, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. One safety option suggested by IIHS is modification of traffic signals to give pedestrians a three-second head start while crossing the street by keeping intersection lights red in both directions. That would theoretically delay drivers making right turns into crosswalks.  

There’s been a shift recently in both the U.S. and the U.K. toward more demanding license renewal processes for older adults. As eyesight and cognitive abilities decrease with age, older adults are often assumed to be more dangerous on the road than younger drivers. But research suggests that is not so. In one U.S. study, researchers found male drivers were less of a risk to other road users at age70 than they were at 40. (Apparently research gender bias is universal.) 

Introducing traffic islands and giving old people more time to get across the road at pedestrian crossings might actually save more lives than tightening license restrictions.  

Older adults accounted for 37% of all pedestrian deaths in 2009, according to results published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. Crossing the road is particularly risky for older adults who are unable to judge speed and distance very well. Because older adults are often frail, they are also more likely to die of their injuries if they are involved in an accident. 

Nationwide, people age 65+ make up 13% of the population but represent about 22% of pedestrian deaths. Eleven percent of Berkeley’s 2010 population (112,580) are age 65+. 13% of U.S.A 

Seniors need more time, crossing the street and on earth. 

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NEWS 

Senator Michael Bennett (D-CO) has introduced a bill that would increase federal supports to millions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) older people through the Older Americans Act (OAA.) The OAA is currently up for reauthorization and includes no mention of LGBT older adults. Among these proposals for the OAA are amendments that would specify LGBT older adults as a population in "greatest social need," permanently establish the National Resource Center on LGBT Aging which provides LGBT cultural competence training to aging providers around the country, a proposal to increase funding for research and programs aimed at LGBT elders, a proposal to require long-term care ombudsmen to collect and analyze data relating to iscrimination against LGBT older adults in long-term care settings, and a proposal to enhance reporting requirements from area and state agencies on aging on their services to LGBT older adults. 

The Department of Veterans Affairs benefit called Aid and Attendance and Housebound Improved Pension and known as A&A can cover the costs of caregivers in the home (including sons and daughters who are paid to be caregivers, but not spouses) or be used for assisted living or a nursing home. The benefit is not insignificant: up to $2,019 monthly for a veteran and spouse, and up to $1,094 for the widow of a veteran. Of the 1.7 million World War II veterans alive as of 2011 and in need of caregiving assistance and thus eligible, only 38,076 veterans and 38,685 surviving spouses were granted the A&A benefit that year. 

An invitation. Candidates for election are welcome to share statements of their accomplishments and plans vis a vis senior citizens and elders. Please email them to me at pen136@dslextreme.com.  

MARK YOUR CALENDAR: September, October and November 2012. Be sure to confirm. Readers are welcome to share by email news of future events and deadlines that may interest boomers, seniors and elders. Daytime, free, and Bay Area events preferred. pen136@dslextreme.com.  

Monday, Sept. 24. 7 P.M. Kensington Library Book Club: The Legend of the Fire Horse Woman by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston. Three generations of Japanese women are told through the eyes of Sayo, the family's matriarch. Her story takes place both in 1942, at the Manzanar camp, and back in 1902, when she came to America as a bride. Houston vividly re-creates the limitations and loneliness of life in the Manzanar camp. Each meeting starts with a poem selected and read by a member with a brief discussion following the reading. New members welcome. 61 Arlington Av. Free. 510-524-3043. 

Tuesdays, Sept. 25, Oct. 23, and Nov. 27. 3-4 P.M. "Read & Share" Book Club (formerly "Tea and Cookies") Central Berkeley Public Library, 2090 Kittredge. Free. 510-981-6100. 

Wednesday, Sept. 26. 12:15-1 P.M. 60th Annual Noon Concert Series. UC,B Hertz Concert Hall. THE NICE GUY TRIO. Darren Johnston, trumpet; Rob Reich, accordion; Daniel Fabricant, bass. Darren Johnston: I Can See Infinity From Here; Ducci Calypso; Tiny Gods; Simple Life; Apples. Duke Ellington/Rex Stuart: Boy Meets Horn. Rob Reich: See Ya. Trad. Romanian/Rob Reich: Gelem Gelem/Unicycle Cocek. Free. 510-642-4864 

Wednesday, Sept. 26. 1:30-2:30P.M. Great Books discussion group. Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. Rosalie Gonzales, group facilitator. Free. Albany Library, 1247 Marin Av. 510-526-3720. Come to one meeting, or all meetings. Books are available at the Library.  

Wednesday, Sept. 26. 1:30 P.M. Meet the candidates for Berkeley Mayor at a forum at the North Berkeley Senior Center, 1901 Hearst, corner of MLK. Moderated by George Lippman of the Berkeley Peace and Justice Commission, the candidates will present their positions and discuss their visions for Berkeley. Sponsored by the Berkeley-East Bay Gray Panthers. Free. Note: This information is derived from the Planet’s Election Section, i.e. it is not included in the NBSC September newsletter calendar. Contact: Margot Smith Berkeley-East Bay Gray Panthers, 2539 Telegraph Ave, Suite B, Berkeley, CA 94704. 510-548-9696 or 510-486-8010 or GrayPanthersBerk@aol.com.  

Thursday, Sept. 27. 10 A.M. Computers for beginners. Central Berkeley Public Library, 2090 Kittredge Free. 510-981-6241 

Thursday, Sept. 27. 12:15 PM - 2:15 PM Literacy Reading Club with Lisa Wenzel. Practice English conversation at the Literacy Reading Club. Meet other adults, build confidence in your speaking and discuss a good book! Albany Library, 1247 Marin Av. Free. 510-745-1480.  

Thursday, Sept. 27. 6 P.M. Lawyers in the Library. Central Berkeley Public Library , 2090 Kittredge. Free. 510-981-6241.  

Friday, Sept. 28, 12:15-1 P.M. 60th Annual Noon Concert Series. UC,B Hertz Concert Hall. JAZZ IN THE BREEZEWAY The Berkeley Nu Jazz Collective, fresh from a studio recording session, performs original compositions written by each ensemble member. Buoyant grooves, lyrical melodies, and a dose of humor make this perfect music for a sunny afternoon. Free. 510-642-4864. 

Sunday, Sept. 30. 10:30 A.M. – 2 P.M. Fall Plant Sale. UC Botanical Garden, 200 Centennial Drive. , Berkeley. A wide variety of plant offerings will appeal to everyone. Specialize in regionally- appropriate, Mediterranean-climate plants including California natives, and plants from South Africa, Australia, the Mediterranean region, and South America. Also, the exotic and unusual. 510-643-2755 

Sunday, September 30. 12 Noon, 2 and 3 P.M. UC,B Dept. of Music Performances at Cal Fall Free for All. 12 Noon: Morrison Hall. 2^nd floor loft: Javanese Gamelan under the direction of Midiyanto previews music for the November 7 shadow play; 1 P.M. : Hertz Hall: Davitt Moroney, harpsichord; 2 P.M.: Sather Tower (Campanile): University carillonist Jeff Davis plays the 61-bell carillon; 3 P.M. : Hertz Hall: Marika Kuzma leads the University Chorus and Chamber Chorus. Free. 510-642-4864. 

Monday, Oct. 1. 6:30 p.m. : "Castoffs" - Knitting Group. Kensington Library, 61Arlington Avenue. enjoy an evening of knitting, show and tell and yarn exchange. All levels are welcome and some help will be provided. Free. 510-510-524-3043. 

Tuesdays, Oct. 2, Nov. 6 and Dec. 4. 5 P.M. 5366 College Ave. Oakland Public Library Rockridge Branch. Lawyers in the library. Free. 510-597-5017. 

Wednesdays, Oct. 3, Nov. 7 and Dec. 5. 6-8 P.M. Lawyer in the Library. Albany Library, 1247 Marin Av. Free 15 minute consultation with an attorney who will clarify your situation, advise you of your options, get you started with a solution, and make a referral when needed. Sign up in person at the Reference desk or call 510-526-3720 ext. 5 during library hours. 

Wednesdays, Oct. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 and Nov. 7, 14, 21 and 28. 12 Noon. Playreaders at Central Berkeley Public Library. 2090 Kittredge. Free. 510-981-6100.  

Wednesdays, Oct. 3, Nov. 7 and Dec. 5. 6-8 P.M. Lawyer in the Library. Albany Library, 1247 Marin Av. Free 15 minute consultation with an attorney who will clarify your situation, advise you of your options, get you started with a solution, and make a referral when needed. Sign up in person at the Reference desk or call 510-526-3720 ext. 5 during library hours. 

Thursday, Oct. 4. 7 P.M. Japanese American Internment: Lesser Known Stories. El Cerrito Library, 6510 Stockton Avenue.. Free. 510-526-7512 

Fridays, Oct. 5, 12, 19 and 26. 3 P.M. Super Cinema. Central Berkeley Public Library. 2090 Kittredge. Free. 510-981-6100.  

Thursday, Oct. 11. 7 P.M. A panel discussion and screening of the documentary film, "Blossoms & Thorns: A Community Uprooted." This video recounts the struggle and resiliency of local Japanese American nursery growers who were forcibly removed from their homes to barren, desert incarceration camps during World War II. El Cerrito Library, 6510 Stockton Avenue. Free. 510-526-7512 

Thursdays, Oct. 11 and Nov. 8. 7-8:45 P.M. Cafe Literario Berkeley Public Library north branch, 1170 The Alameda. Facilitated book discussions in Spanish. October title: Carlos Fuentes’ La muerte de Artemio Cruz. November title: Marcela Serrano’s Diez Mujeres. 510-981-6250 

Saturday, Oct. 20. 2 P.M. Kensington Library, 61 Arlington Av. Japanese American Internment Camp Panel Discussion. USF Professor and editor, Brian Komei Dempster, and 4 former Japanese American internment camp internees. As part of the California Reads program, USF Professor and editor Brian Komei Dempster and four former Japanese American concentration camp internees will share their first-person accounts of this time period during World War II. Mr. Dempster is the editor of Making Home From War: stories of Japanese American Exile and Resettlement and From Our Side of the Fence: Growing up in America's Concentration Camps. Free. 510-524-3043.  

Wednesday, October 24. 1:30-2:30P.M. Great Books discussion group. Troth, by Gregor von Rezzori. Rosalie Gonzales, group facilitator. Albany Library, 1247 Marin Av. 510-526-3720.  

Wednesdays, Oct. 31, Nov. 7, 14, 21, 28. 12 noon-1P.M. Playreaders at Central Library, 2090 Kittredge. Read aloud from great plays, changing parts frequently. Intended for adult participants. Free. 510-981-6100 

Thursday, Nov. 8. 7-8:45 P.M. Café Literario at North branch Library. 1170 The Alameda, Berkeley. Facilitated book discussions in Spanish. November title: Marcela Serrano’s Diez Mujeres. Free. 510-981-6250 

Thursdays, Nov. 8 and 15. 6-7:30 P.M. Lawyers in the Library @Claremont Library. 2940 Benvenue Ave., Berkeley. Free. 510-981-6280 

Saturdays, Nov. 17 and Dec. 15. 1 P.M. Oakland Public Library Rockridge Branch, 5366 College Ave. Free. Writers’ Support & Critique Group. 510-597-5017 

Wednesdays, Nov. 7 and Dec. 5. 6-8 P.M. Lawyer in the Library. Albany Library, 1247 Marin Av. Free 15 minute consultation with an attorney who will clarify your situation, advise you of your options, get you started with a solution, and make a referral when needed. Sign up in person at the Reference desk or call 510-526-3720 ext. 5 during library hours.  

Wednesday, November 28. 1:30-2:30P.M. Great Books discussion group. Sunday Morning, by Wallace Stevens. Rosalie Gonzales, group facilitator. Albany Library, 1247 Marin Av. 510-526-3720.  

Wednesday, Dec. 5. 6-8 P.M. Lawyer in the Library. Albany Library, 1247 Marin Av. Free 15 minute consultation with an attorney who will clarify your situation, advise you of your options, get you started with a solution, and make a referral when needed. Sign up in person at the Reference desk or call 510-526-3720 ext. 5 during library hours.