Older adults will tell you that losing their driving license is like getting a death sentence. In her unstoppable journey to empower seniors, Dr. Sherrilene Classen, a professor and chair of the Department of Occupational Therapy in the UF College of Public Health and Health Professions, is getting older adults comfortable with autonomous vehicle technology as well as conducting research to develop autonomous transit resources to promote their independence and safety.
Sherrilene Classen, Professor and Chair of the Department of Occupational Therapy, finds it a privilege to provide you with some highlights of our great department. We have seen significant growth since 2017 as we have almost tripled the size of the department.
In this course, the author provides an overview of the current crash statistics in the USA, an introduction to autonomous vehicles (AV), including the levels of AV, how driving as an occupation may be affected/changed by AV, the pros and the cons of AV, a timeline for AV, as well as a discussion on the vulnerable road users and how they may benefit from AV. The presentation highlights that we are facing the greatest transportation revolution of the century and invite health care professionals to consider the opportunities of AV technology for mobility-disadvantaged people.
In this course, the author provides an overview of older adults’ transportation needs, the potential benefit of autonomous vehicle technology (AVT) to their health and safety, and results from a study conducted to determine older adults’ perception before and after being exposed to AVT (i.e. a driving simulator driving in autonomous mode and an automated shuttle). The presentation highlights implications for practice, policy and research.
The Occupational Therapy department is taking action to start addressing a culture change that is both necessary and critical so that each one of our black students and each one of our black colleagues feel that they matter- that means to feel valued and to feel that they can contribute to the value of the department, the college, and the profession.
Under the mentorship of Drs. Classen and Struckmeyer, PhD student Carlyn Ellison from the Department of Occupational Therapy and Rehabilitation Science program has been selected for the CTSI TL1 Training grant.
Book chapter found in Ways of Living: Intervention Strategies to Enable Participation, Fifth Edition.
Starting Feb. 3, Gainesville residents will be able to board an autonomous shuttle for test rides between downtown Gainesville and the University of Florida campus. The shuttle will be operated by the City of Gainesville’s Regional Transit System (RTS) and has been funded by the Florida Department of Transportation.
Book chapter found in Occupational Therapy for Physical Dysfunction, Eighth Edition.
Dr. Classen’s team has been researching how older drivers experience autonomous vehicle technology. As a result of this research, two continuing education lectures were developed for inclusion in the Driving Rehabilitation Therapy Certificate program offered by the UF Department of Occupational Therapy.
