~~~~~~ Senior Solutions ~~~~~~
Silver Alert Program
12/05/08
There’s good news for Floridians or people with elderly loved ones living here!
Highway and Interstate drivers have become familiar with the huge screens hanging above the roadways issuing Amber Alerts to help find missing children. It has been a highly effective tool for law enforcement and saved lives. Now drivers may see a new alert posted for an elderly driver who has been reported missing. These alerts are known as Silver Alerts.
I know of a family who reported the following to me about 20 years ago. It caused them great fear and worry. Their parent was living in New Jersey and had told someone she was going to the grocery store which was nearby. She had been going to the same store for many years. The family reported to me, “She forgot some things sometimes, but generally seemed to be alright”. Somehow though she ended up a couple of states to the west and was found about 3 days later by the police. When the police checked her ID, they discovered she was from New Jersey. They asked her some questions and it was obvious to them that she would need help in getting home. They contacted the family and she was safely reunited with them. Apparently she got on the road and just kept going
According to an article by reporter Alex Johnson for MSNBC on September 15th, 2008, eleven states had established Silver Alert Programs and others were drafting legislation. At that time the proactive states that had Silver Alert Programs in place were: California, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, N. Carolina, Ohio, Texas, and Virginia. (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26293194/).
Florida Governor Charlie Christ has recently signed legislation for the Silver Alert Program to be implemented here in our state. Everyone who has an older driver in the family should be thankful we have joined the list of other states that are taking action to save lives and protect seniors in this way. I would hope that all 50 states would eventually enact similar legislation and connect themselves into the National Silver Alert Program.
You can read more about the Florida Silver Alert Program at: