| It is very difficult to keep in touch with every person in | | | | where senior citizens with disorders can register and |
| a highly populated country like the United States. | | | | input their entire vital medical and health records, |
| Keeping track of every individual is even more difficult | | | | personal data, caregiver info, and picture. The |
| and requires the effort of all people in the community | | | | information will be securely kept and will only be used |
| to help. Communication technology is crucial here, and | | | | by emergency responders whenever their toll-free |
| the Amber Alert system was one of the results in | | | | emergency number is dialed and a proper report is |
| using public communication to help find the | | | | made. |
| whereabouts of children. The success of the Amber | | | | It also helps spread the awareness of the alert by |
| Alert led to other alert systems like the Silver Alert. | | | | offering ID card packages, bracelets, and pendants. |
| Defining this type of Alert | | | | The ID card package includes 2 ID cards that can fit in |
| This type of alert is somewhat the opposite of an | | | | any standard-sized wallet and a larger ID card that is |
| Amber alert as it covers seniors. It revolves around a | | | | to be placed on a window or on the front door. These |
| program called the "National Silver Alert Program" | | | | cards work together where the ID card containing the |
| where the objective is to save unattended seniors that | | | | emergency information is displayed on a refrigerator |
| suffer from cognitive disorders like Alzheimer's | | | | while the bigger ID card displayed outside indicates that |
| disease. | | | | the ID card is found on the fridge. An Emergency |
| History | | | | Responder fridge magnet is included in the package |
| The concept of the alert was brought up in December | | | | for better visibility. |
| 2005 where Fred Perry - an Oklahoma | | | | The ID bracelets and pendants make it easy for |
| Representative wanted to produce something that | | | | people that are not at home to contact the |
| works like the Amber Alert to save seniors. The | | | | emergency responders from any local place with a |
| Oklahoma House of Representatives acknowledged | | | | phone as the toll-free number is engraved there along |
| the following year and passed a resolution (H.R. 1075) | | | | with the emergency phone number and a special serial |
| which will make full use of the system to help find | | | | number that is linked to the registered senior citizen in |
| missing seniors. It wasn't permanently established until | | | | the database. This information will be used by the |
| recently in April 2009 when Oklahoma Governor Brad | | | | responders to contact the call center and obtain all the |
| Henry signed a legislation. | | | | necessary data for regarding the lost individual. |
| Several other states have adopted this system with | | | | Alert Coverage |
| current statistics showing more than half of the United | | | | The exact triggers of a Silver Alert vary from different |
| States already implementing the program. Florida saw | | | | states. Some of the states yield Silver Alerts only if |
| the importance and potential of the alert early 2008 | | | | the lost individual is aged 65 or greater and is known to |
| when a tragedy occurred involving a 86 year old | | | | have mental disabilities. The strict criteria are made to |
| women escaping her assisted living facility to drive | | | | reduce the instances of false alarms due to |
| away only to meet an unfortunate accident. | | | | misinterpretations. |
| It is implied that around half of the elders in the US that | | | | Public Reception |
| wander away from supervision suffer from serious | | | | Some critics of this system along with other alert |
| injury or even death if they are not located within a 24 | | | | systems is that the increasing dependency of such |
| hour period. | | | | alerts may degrade their overall importance due to |
| How the Alert Activates | | | | increased possibilities of false alerts or the possibility of |
| The system works similarly to Amber alerts, making | | | | people not taking the alerts too seriously because of |
| use of modern media channels including cable TV | | | | oversaturation. However, the current instances of |
| networks and stations, radio stations, and text | | | | identity theft, elder abuse, and high elder population |
| messaging. Reverse 911 systems have also been used | | | | indicate that the Silver Alert program will greatly help |
| to spread awareness of missing seniors within the | | | | and save lives. |
| neighborhood including information of their last known | | | | It is up to the community to collaborate well with the |
| whereabouts. | | | | emergency responders to ensure elders remain safe |
| The program website offers even more options | | | | at all costs. |