Stanbridge College Occupational Therapy Students Host Successful CarFit Event

Students in the Stanbridge College Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program held a CarFit check-up on July 18th, to help drivers of all ages improve comfort and safety in their vehicles. CarFit is a national program developed by AAA, AARP, and the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) and is designed to give a quick and comprehensive check on how well a driver and their vehicle work together.

At CarFit, Occupational Therapy students, under the supervision of faculty, completed a 12-point checklist for every driver who attended, including positioning of the driver’s seat and the proper adjustment of mirrors. Students made sure each driver could comfortably reach their gas and brake pedals, sat a safe and comfortable distance from the steering wheel, and were wearing seatbelts across their hips and chest.

MSOT student Kelsey Navarro said, “It was rewarding having such a positive impact on the community. The participants were great, and it was an awesome learning experience.”

Eileen Wang, MOT, OTR/L, Academic Fieldwork Coordinator for the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy Program agreed, “It was definitely a great experience overall for the students and the community. We would like to see if CarFit might even evolve into an annual event here at Stanbridge.”

At Stanbridge, both Master of Science in Occupational Therapy and Occupational Therapy Assistant students train in the Driving Simulator Lab on campus. The lab engages students in hands-on driving assessments in order to understand and treat various aspects of the occupation of driving. With the population of seniors citizens growing rapidly, occupational therapists are frequently called upon to help them maintain their independence. Giving clients the freedom of mobility, while maintaining their health and safety, is what Stanbridge College Occupational Therapy students are passionate about.

To learn more about CarFit, please visit http://www.car-fit.org. For more information about Stanbridge College, please visit http://www.stanbridge.edu/