Are you an older adult who loves to drive? Or are you worried about your own senior mom or dad driving?

Being able to get yourself around boosts not only your self-confidence but your sense of self-reliance and independence. If long car trips or simply getting in and out of the car are starting to become more difficult, think about investing in some of these helpful driving aids:

Car Transfer Aid

There are a variety of assistive devices that help simplify the process of getting in and out of the car and the good news is, they are all easy to install and use.

A car caddie, for example, is a simple loop made of canvas that goes over the top of the driver’s side door and hangs in the window area. It provides a handhold like you might find on a public bus in which to pull yourself up and out of the driver’s seat.

Other car transfer aids include items like ‘handybars’ which you can easily stow in your glove compartment and then pull out and use when you are parked. They feature a short, easy grip handle that you attach to the car door frame and hold onto for support as you climb out of the car.

Travel Mobility Aids

Finding somewhere to store your mobility aid so that it’s accessible but doesn’t get in the way while you are driving can be painstaking.

A travel walking cane, though, can quickly be folded up before you get in the car and simply placed in the seat beside you for quick access when you reach your destination.

Heading outside or on a trip? Travel walkers with wheels for the outdoors come in a variety of lightweight, foldable versions that store easily in the trunk or backseat.

It’s easier than ever to transform your walking aid into a compact, easy-to-store device when it’s a foldable walking cane or lightweight rollator walker.

Swivel Seat / Transfer Disc

Are you straining to twist and turn when you get in and out of the car? A swivel seat or transfer disc may be the answer to your back pain prayers.

These innovative tools sit on your driver’s seat like a cushion but swivel from side to side like a lazy susan, allowing you to sit and easily bring your legs into the car or vice versa.

Seat Cushion

An ergonomic seat cushion alleviates the pressure placed on your hips and spine when spending long hours in the car.

Compared to regular foam or cotton batting, memory foam and gel more effectively distribute your weight and help to support a neutral spine which takes the stress off the back, hips, buttocks and even the knees. A cut-out where your tailbone rests also helps prevent pain in your coccyx.

Neck Pillow

Avoid falling asleep on your trip and getting that dreaded travel crick in the neck! A neck pillow that features a half-moon design, supportive structure and a soft, comfortable lining is a lifesaver when you want to get some shut-eye and prevent stiff, knotted muscles in your shoulders and neck.

Visor Display

Do you have a handicap parking permit in your car that you hang on the rear-view mirror? Not only does driving with it obstruct your view and make your driving more dangerous, but having to put it back in the glove compartment and then dig around to find it when you need it again can be frustrating.

A visor display with a special attachment for your handicap placard makes it easy to store and then flip down to display when you park.

Driving Tips for Seniors

When it comes to staying safe on the road as an older adult, experts recommend that you:

• Avoid driving in inclement weather.
• Use routes and roads you are used to.
• Check medications for side effects that might impair driving.
• Do not drive when you are tired, stressed or sleep-deprived.
• Run errands and meet up with friends during low-traffic periods of the day.
• Always use headlights, even during the day.
• Clean rear view and side mirrors regularly.
• Limit distractions from other passengers or music.
• Consider taking a defensive driving or senior driver class.
• Get regular oil changes and tune-ups to avoid unwanted breakdowns.

Many of these tips and tools also work well for people who have recently had surgery that affects their ability to get in and out of the car with ease. If you are interested in sharpening your driving skills as a mature driver, look for programs offered by groups like AAA and AARP.

What are your biggest driving hang-ups? Do you have tips or tricks for simplifying getting in and out of the car? Please share them in the comments below.

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, STYLECASTER may receive an affiliate commission.

There’s an entire universe of skincare on Amazon, and it’s so vast that it would take light years to go through every product. Even if you filter results to show only the things you’re looking for, it would still take a lot of patience. If you’re on the hunt to find the best vitamin C serum for your skin, let us guide you in the right direction. TruSkin’s Vitamin C Serum needs to be at the top of your list—it has over 69,000 five-star reviews and is on sale now for just $20 ahead of Prime Day.

This shopper-loved vitamin C serum improves wrinkles, dullness and uneven skin tone. And thanks to the serum’s formula, shoppers actually see results. Aside from being packed with antioxidants, this vitamin C serum incorporates jojoba oil to soothe the skin and adds an extra dose of moisture to the skin. 

RELATED: Kendall Jenner Uses This $22 Lip Mask to Plump, Perfect & ‘Put a Little Shine On’ Her Pout

So how does it work? Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that holds a laundry list of benefits like brightening the skin, fading away dark spots and even reducing signs of aging. Thanks to its universal benefits, it’s held a consistent place on skincare’s most popular ingredient list. It’s even known as being an extremely effective Skinceuticals dupe. Vitamin C works well with most skin types and can easily be added to your skincare routine alongside your other beloved products.

Courtesy of Amazon.

Even though vitamin C effectively transforms the skin, it often causes irritation if you are not familiar with using it. If you’re new to using the antioxidant, expect some discomfort until your skin adjusts to it. Also, if you’re using retinol products, make sure to layer in a moisturizer to seal in much-needed hydration that will soothe your skin. 

The serum has racked up over 69,000 five-star reviews from shoppers that can’t stop praising its benefits for their skin. It makes skin look so smooth and youthful, that one shopper called it a “real life filter,” and added, “I’ve used this at night for 30 days. I didn’t do a before and after, but I can honestly say that when my kid took a picture of me the other day, it looked like he added a filter. Literally, my skin looks ridiculously better. I’m 40. I grew up a beach baby and live in Las Vegas now, and I’m in the sun daily. I swear on 37 Bibles that this stuff has easily taken off ten years from my face.”

Another reviewer called the brightening serum a “miracle in a bottle.” They wrote that they wanted to fight signs of aging and decided to give the serum a try. “My skin tone has evened out, much brighter, and friends and family has commented that my skin is glowing and that I look younger! Well, that was the whole point wasn’t it?”

After using the serum that doubles as an anti-aging product, shoppers reported that dull skin and fine lines disappeared.

A final user in their 50s was searching to reverse their years of sun damage and creepy skin. “​​I never thought I would see much results let alone so quickly. I woke up with such glowing skin this morning. And my face feels so soft,” they explained.

I first learned about the topic of food waste reduction several years ago. After doing some research, I was compelled to blog about it. As I said in one early post, “Rarely does one action present with so much potential to achieve more than one pressing objective at the same time.”

Reducing food waste can help address hunger, reduce greenhouse gas while freeing up landfill space, and conserve water and other natural resources.

Since that post, more pressing objectives have come to my attention. Charities across the U.S. now ask food donors to assist them in serving healthier meals.

With more fresh fruits and vegetables, proteins, dairy and dairy substitutes, and 100% whole grains on the menu and in food distribution centers, the movement also has potential to reduce the incidence of diabetes and other health problems in client populations.

Restaurants and other food businesses benefit from lower waste disposal costs, too.

By the Numbers

According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, “Getting food to our tables eats up 10 percent of the total U.S. energy budget, uses 50 percent of U.S. land, and swallows 80 percent of freshwater consumed in the United States. Yet, 40 percent of food in the United States today goes uneaten.”

All Hands on Deck

The scope of actors in the movement is vast. On May 10-12 was the 2022 U.S. Food Waste Summit, hosted by ReFED and the McNamara Alumni Center at the University of Minnesota. Summit attendees included corporate executives, U.K. and U.S. state and local government officials, academics, philanthropists, small business owners, nonprofits, startups and investors.

Around the world, armies of food rescue volunteers support the mission. In the U.S., the Food Recovery Network (FRN) recruits students nationwide to lead food recovery and distribution programs on college campuses.

FRN is over 230 chapters strong and has recovered more than 7 million pounds of food since it was established. There is broad global consensus that the problem of food waste must be addressed.

Technology Has Solved Logistics

Mobile phone applications have been a huge boon to the movement. Apps for connecting hunger relief organizations to businesses, caterers, and event planners offering fresh, excess food include Food Rescue US, Copia, Food Cowboy, Too Good To Go, and Waste No Food.

Platforms like Spoiler Alert and LeanPath focus on controlling waste and increasing profits in business operations.

Consumer apps like Save the Food’s Guest-Imator and USDA’s FoodKeeper provide guidance on meal planning and food safety. On Twitter you’ll find scores of individuals and communities dedicated to sharing tips on reducing household food waste (e.g., @realfoodhero, @ZeroWasteChef, @myzerowaste, @ZeroWasteLiving).

Ever Heard of “Ugly” Produce?

Food retailers insist on offering only perfect-looking produce because that’s what customers want. But ‘ugly’ – slightly blemished or misshapen produce – is just as tasty and nutritious.

Some retailers have taken to selling it at a lower price, but these uglies are prime products for helping those in need.

European retailers started the ugly food movement, and now many U.S. companies have followed suit or are studying the issue.

In 2014, France’s Intermarché launched the Inglorious Fruits and Vegetables campaign to promote its decision to sell ‘imperfect’ produce at a 30 percent discount.

In the U.S., Walmart’s brand of ‘beautifully imperfect’ apples is called “I’m Perfect.” Walmart’s U.K. retailer, Asda, sells ‘wonky’ (misshapen) fruits and vegetables at a discounted price.

How to Join the Movement

At the Food Waste Summit, I met Barbara Bronstein. In addition to making inroads in food recovery and ending waste, Barbara’s story is also a great profile in reinvention over age 50. When Barbara retired from her career with Fortune 500 consumer product companies, she wasn’t ready to relax.

After a short stint blogging about restaurants, she found a new calling with a social purpose and dived in. She set about to collect edible extras from special events and deliver them to food bank clients in Houston. The project eventually turned into Second Servings of Houston.

Nita Kurmins Gilson, Alexandra White, and Jerilyn White did something similar when they founded ProduceGood in San Diego County. After studying their models, I put together this checklist for anyone considering getting involved in fighting food waste in his/her community.

10 Steps to Starting a Food Rescue Organization in Your Community

1. Educate yourself: Consult local experts from food banks and do extensive research.
2. Get certified in food safety.
3. Identify all the federal, state and local ordinances you’ll need to comply with.
4. Write a business plan.
5. Set up a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
6. Apply for grants from foundations and corporations and/or start a crowdfunding campaign.
7. Get a refrigerated truck and supplies.
8. Recruit volunteers.
9. Recruit food donors and donation recipients.
10. Spread the word via social media and contact your local news station.

A Note About Liability

In 1996, the U.S. enacted the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act to encourage food and grocery donations to nonprofits by protecting donors from civil and criminal liability (except in cases of gross negligence or intentional misconduct). Several U.S. states and European countries have enacted similar laws.

For additional information, please visit the websites of Feeding America and the Natural Resources Defense Council, two comprehensive sources of information about hunger and food waste.

Have you thought about the scale of food waste in the world, particularly in the United States? What are you doing to support or even start a food rescue organization in your community? Let’s talk about this global issue and discuss possible course of action.

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, STYLECASTER may receive an affiliate commission.

There’s an entire universe of skincare on Amazon, and it’s so vast that it would take light years to go through every product. Even if you filter results to show only the things you’re looking for, it would still take a lot of patience. If you’re on the hunt to find the best vitamin C serum for your skin, let us guide you in the right direction. TruSkin’s Vitamin C Serum needs to be at the top of your list—it has over 69,000 five-star reviews and is on sale now for just $20 ahead of Prime Day.

This shopper-loved vitamin C serum improves wrinkles, dullness and uneven skin tone. And thanks to the serum’s formula, shoppers actually see results. Aside from being packed with antioxidants, this vitamin C serum incorporates jojoba oil to soothe the skin and adds an extra dose of moisture to the skin. 

RELATED: Kendall Jenner Uses This $22 Lip Mask to Plump, Perfect & ‘Put a Little Shine On’ Her Pout

So how does it work? Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that holds a laundry list of benefits like brightening the skin, fading away dark spots and even reducing signs of aging. Thanks to its universal benefits, it’s held a consistent place on skincare’s most popular ingredient list. It’s even known as being an extremely effective Skinceuticals dupe. Vitamin C works well with most skin types and can easily be added to your skincare routine alongside your other beloved products.

Courtesy of Amazon.

Even though vitamin C effectively transforms the skin, it often causes irritation if you are not familiar with using it. If you’re new to using the antioxidant, expect some discomfort until your skin adjusts to it. Also, if you’re using retinol products, make sure to layer in a moisturizer to seal in much-needed hydration that will soothe your skin. 

The serum has racked up over 69,000 five-star reviews from shoppers that can’t stop praising its benefits for their skin. It makes skin look so smooth and youthful, that one shopper called it a “real life filter,” and added, “I’ve used this at night for 30 days. I didn’t do a before and after, but I can honestly say that when my kid took a picture of me the other day, it looked like he added a filter. Literally, my skin looks ridiculously better. I’m 40. I grew up a beach baby and live in Las Vegas now, and I’m in the sun daily. I swear on 37 Bibles that this stuff has easily taken off ten years from my face.”

Another reviewer called the brightening serum a “miracle in a bottle.” They wrote that they wanted to fight signs of aging and decided to give the serum a try. “My skin tone has evened out, much brighter, and friends and family has commented that my skin is glowing and that I look younger! Well, that was the whole point wasn’t it?”

After using the serum that doubles as an anti-aging product, shoppers reported that dull skin and fine lines disappeared.

A final user in their 50s was searching to reverse their years of sun damage and creepy skin. “​​I never thought I would see much results let alone so quickly. I woke up with such glowing skin this morning. And my face feels so soft,” they explained.

Making arrangements for your home or apartment before leaving for a vacation can feel like a daunting task when you think about all that needs to be done.

Depending on how long you will be gone, you likely need to think about: having the mail/newspaper held, forwarded, or picked up, watering plants, minimizing food items in the refrigerator/cupboard, telling a neighbor/family/friend about your time away, making sure garbage is emptied, providing keys in case someone needs to get in during your absence, lining up yard workers if needed, unplugging appliances, locking doors/windows, adjusting the thermostat, lights and blinds, cleaning the house (no one likes to come home to a mess!), turning off your water (I’ve heard too many burst washing machine pipes or leaky toilet stories), and packing (and all that entails). Whew!

Don’t Forget Your Pets

AND if you have a pet, that’s another list! I have recently become a house/pet sitter on Trusted Housesitters and have a new level of respect for pet owners.

Their furry baby is truly one of the family and they make arrangements to continue the amazing care for that loved one before they travel. My friend that originally told me about the website, has been house/pet sitting her way around the world for years. It’s a wonderful, international community!

As I wrote last month, we should also think about the possibility of a health event while away on our travels. And that preparation should extend to thinking about the needs of our pets as well.

It’s the Law

It’s so sad to think of our pets without us, but here’s your chance to do something about it in advance in case it happens. According to the law, pets are treated like property – not as individuals that can own property.

Because of this distinction, an owner cannot gift money or assets to a pet so it is important to address how your pet will be cared for if you suddenly go to the hospital or predecease your pet.

A Pet Emergency Plan

Informal agreements with friends or family can quickly dissolve if their living arrangements don’t allow for a pet or someone in their house is allergic to the animal. To protect your pets, you should have an emergency plan in place.

If you are unable to return home, someone with access to your home can be notified to care for your pets until you are able to return or until permanent arrangements can be made.

On top of the pet emergency plan, here is important information you need to compile about your pets before you go:

• Pet Name
• Birthday (can be an estimate if you’re not sure)
• Veterinarian contact info
• Health and dietary needs/requirements
• Favorite activities/toys/treats
• Pet insurance info (if applicable)
• Pet guardian contact information
• Instructions (Ex: How should this person gain access to your house and bring your pet to their home?)
• Other pertinent info (example: microchip info, grooming tips, etc.)

Download and fill in my Pet Checklist to capture this and other information in one place. It will be very helpful in case of an emergency or just to have on hand for anyone who may help take care of your pet(s) while you are away.

Pets Leave Pawprints on Our Hearts

I imagine a pet has played an important part in your life a time or two. I think my first recollection of a pet was when I played with an adorable, super soft, grey kitten at my grandmother’s house. She wasn’t technically my pet, but I sure treated her like she was when we were there. Then one day, she was tragically hit by a car during one of our visits. I never cried so hard!

When our four children begged for a dog, we gave in and allowed a guinea pig to be the pet for the time being. I don’t recall how long Lucky lived, but I do remember the elaborate funeral all four kids gave him in our backyard. They remember it to this day, over 20 years later.

I guess my point is that our furry friends, no matter what our age, work their way into our hearts. So, think beyond just your vacation this summer to what you would want for him/her if your absence gets extended or becomes permanent. It seems the least we can do is to be sure we make plans for them just like we would for another family member.

What tips can you share about caring for your pet while you are away? Any experiences you can share with our community? Let’s have a conversation!