Topics:

• Safety of Older Drivers
• Herbal Remedies

Safety of Older Drivers

As our population ages, an increasing number of individuals will have to face the problem of the safety of an older individual who is reluctant to quit driving because they do not want to give up their independence.

This three-hour teleconference was designed to promote a greater understanding and appreciation of the need for teamwork in addressing complex social issues surrounding the older driver. This training exposed participants to assessment strategies and techniques, common physiological concerns related to the older driver, state regulatory requirements and an interdisciplinary issue panel.

The teleconference was advertised to local health professionals in medicine, nursing, rehabilitation, optometry, social service professionals, and volunteers who work with the elderly and families of older drivers.

By taking part in this downlink, participants learned about:

• Older Driver Characteristics
• Physiological Changes & The Older Driver
• Pennsylvania State Policy On Older Drivers
• Working With Families Of Older Drivers

Participants were also given the opportunity to receive continuing education credits, to put toward their professional accreditation needs.

Herbal Remedies

Herbs represent ancient remedies for a variety of physical and emotional ailments. Today the use of herbs for medicinal purposes has grown so much in popularity that billions of dollars in herbal products are bought by individuals who use them, rather than synthetic (manufactured) drugs, to prevent or treat conditions.

Pike County professionals took part in the yearly Current Issues in Nutrition satellite conference broadcast from Iowa State University. This years topic "Herbal Remedies" explored the potential of specific herbs in preventing and treating disease and improving health and well-being, as well as identifying potential toxicity or hazards of commonly used herbal preparations. Continuing education units for professional accreditation were awarded to those who participated in the conference.