CarFit® is a national educational program offering older adults the opportunity to evaluate how well their personal vehicles "fit" them.  Health professionals work with older drivers and review 12 key areas to ensure they "fit" their vehicle properly for maximum safety.  A CarFit® check takes approximately 20 minutes to complete.

CarFit® is not a driving test or driving evaluation.

The CarFit® events schedule includes:

July 17 - Genesis Medical Center, Silvis, 801 Illini Drive, Silvis, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

July 24 - Arnold's Automotive, 2500 52nd Ave., Moline, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

August 6 - Church of the Open Door, 816 13th Ave. North, Clinton, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

August 21 - Genesis Medical Center, 1227 East Rusholme Street, Davenport 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

"Older drivers can improve their safety by ensuring their cars are properly adjusted for them," explained Gretchen Cluff, an occupational therapist at Genesis and a Certified Driving Rehabilitation Specialist.  "A proper fit in their car can greatly increase not only the driver's safety but also the safety of others.

"Once seniors arrive for their check, they will be asked basic information and then we will evaluate how they fit in their car. For example, are they sitting too close to the airbag?  Are their mirrors adjusted appropriately to maximize their view?  Is their seat in the best position to reach the brake and gas pedals?

"We can only make recommendations.  We can, however, provide the senior drivers with important information that could increase their driving safety."

Three examples underscore the importance of road safety to the CarFit® program:

• Knowing how to properly adjust one's mirrors can greatly minimize blind spots for drivers when changing lanes.

• Good foot positioning on the gas and brake pedals is important. Drivers who reach with their toes to press on the pedals can cause fatigue in their legs and slow reaction time.

• Drivers run a risk of serious injury if they are sitting closer than 10 inches from the steering wheel.

CarFit® events have shown that more than one-third of seniors had at least one critical safety issue.  One in 10 sat too close to the steering wheel, and 20 percent did not have a line of sight at least 3 inches over the steering wheel.

To reserve a time for an evaluation at the CarFit® event on Friday, call (563) 421-1480.

Community continues to excel in serving Quad City seniors and their families

DAVENPORT, IA (June 25, 2015) - Senior Star at Elmore Place is pleased to announce today that they were awarded a certificate of recognition for achieving exceptional results from their monitoring visit by the Iowa Department of Inspections & Appeals.

The certificate of recognition, authorized by the Director of the Health Facilities Division of the Iowa Department of Inspections & Appeals, acknowledges the associates of Senior Star for their outstanding care and commitment to the health and safety of Iowa's senior citizens, and for meeting or exceeding the state requirements of established rules and regulations governing assisted living programs.

"We are extremely proud of this accomplishment," said Marc Strohschein, executive director of Senior Star at Elmore Place.  "This award is an important acknowledgement of our dedicated associates who strive for excellence every day as they work with our residents and families to provide the very best care.  We will continue to meet and exceed expectations that are not only outlined by our governing state organizations but also expected by the residents and families who have come to know the stellar Senior Star level of service."

For more information about Senior Star at Elmore Place or to schedule a tour, call 563.359.0100 or visit the website at www.seniorstar.com.

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack released the following statement today after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the tax breaks included in the Affordable Care Act to help low-income Americans purchase health insurance are constitutional.

"Today's Supreme Court decision is a big relief for the thousands of Iowa families who would have faced large, unforeseen, out of pocket increases in their health care costs. If Republicans would have had their way thousands of young adults under 26 would lose their insurance, women would again be considered a second class citizen, seniors would have to pay more for their medications and 43,000 children in Southeast Iowa would be denied insurance because they had a preexisting condition. Congress clearly meant for these tax breaks to be available to anyone who qualified, no matter where they lived. It is time we move forward and work to strengthen this law, not continue to try and dismantle it."

WASHINGTON - Sen. Chuck Grassley is asking the IRS to explain its handling of Premium Tax Credit claims and the procedures it uses to reconcile those claims with overpayments of the Advanced Premium Tax Credit under the health care law.

"The accuracy of the procedures is important for making sure recipients are getting the intended amounts and that taxpayers aren't overpaying," Grassley said.  "An audit raised questions about gaps and discrepancies in how the tax credits are calculated.  The IRS should explain how it's handling these issues and how it will fix the problems."

A recent audit by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration highlighted shortcomings in the preparation for processing Premium Tax Credit claims. The audit also revealed problems with the procedures used to reconcile Advanced Premium Tax Credit overpayments.

Grassley, with Sen. Orrin Hatch, sought information from the IRS in a letter to IRS Commissioner John Koskinen on how the agency determined the accuracy of Premium Tax Credit claims and how it reconciled overpayments, given gaps in the information necessary to calculate the amounts.

The text of the letter is available here.