"Beyond Driving with Dignity" to be Presented at the 2014 Florida Conference on Aging

TAMPA, Fla. - July 23, 2014 - PRLog -- Matt Gurwell, founder of Keeping Us Safe, has been accepted by the Florida Council on Aging Program Committee to speak at the 2014 Florida Conference on Aging in a session titled “Beyond Driving with Dignity”.

The conference, sponsored by the Florida Council on Aging, is being held at the Bonaventure Resort & Spa Hotel in Weston (Ft. Lauderdale) from August 4-6, 2014.  The title of this year’s conference is Aging; Unleashed.

Keeping Us Safe is a national organization that provides services to older drivers and their concerned families as they face the emotional and delicate issue of a loved-one’s diminished driving skills as a result of the aging process.

“The ‘Beyond Driving with Dignity’ program provides concerned families with the missing link between their desire to bring the driving issue to a peaceful resolution, and their ability to actually do so", explains Matt Gurwell, who is also a retired Ohio State Trooper.

“I am very excited to be part of this year’s conference.” Gurwell stated.  “On a personal level, being among such high caliber professionals that share the desire to help older adults remain independent and to give them options to age in a dignified manner will prove very rewarding.  On a professional level, my hopes are that I can provide conference attendees with valuable insight on how to address the issue of age-related diminished driving skills, so that the individual’s dignity and independence are not jeopardized.” Gurwell concluded.

The conference is being sponsored in partnership with the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, the Florida Association of Aging Services Providers and the National Institute of Senior Centers.  For more information on the conference, visit the Florida Council on Aging at http://www.fcoa.org.

When asked what the turning point was for starting Keeping Us Safe, Matt explains "There was never one particular event. It was the result of 20-plus years of holding dying people in my arms at terrible car accidents, and delivering dozens of death notifications to families. I would much rather work with families bringing a peaceful resolve to this sensitive and uncomfortable issue now, rather than have them deal with it when a police officer is knocking on their front door".

For more information on Keeping Us Safe’s “Beyond Driving with Dignity” program please visit www.keepingussafe.org.  Media inquiries are asked to call 216-904-8841.