Silver Alert Makes Its Debut In Florida

As the owner of a home care service for senior citizens, Ken Wilson is acutely aware of the dangers older people face when they wander from home.

But it's about to get personal.

Wilson's father will be moving out of a New Jersey nursing home soon and coming to stay with Wilson and his family. He has occasional delusional moments and thinks people are out to get him, Wilson explained.

Like many in his place, Wilson plans to give the best care possible to his father, but he also understands that accidents can happen. That's why a recent executive order from the Florida governor's office provides him with some reassurance.

Effective Oct. 8, Floridians over the age of 60 who suffer from dementia, Alzheimer's or other deteriorated mental capabilities can be reported missing using a Silver Alert. Similar to the Amber Alert for missing children, it provides law enforcement with a way to immediately disperse a description of the missing person, including the use of electronic billboards on major roadways.

Local law enforcement issues the Silver Alert after determining that the missing person meets certain criteria.

"It sounds like a great offering out there," said Wilson, who owns a Granny Nannies franchise in Spring Hill. "The elderly really need a lot of help in that area."

There are an estimated 4.3 million Florida residents older than 60 and about 501,000 probable Alzheimer's cases. Roughly 95 percent of the senior population lives independently, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Most of Florida's seniors will never need a Silver Alert, but for the few that do this can be a lifesaver, said John Peck, communications director for the Florida Department of Elder Affairs.

One of the first Silver Alerts was issued Oct. 16 in South Florida, when a Boynton Beach man with early stage Alzheimer's wandered away from a doctor's appointment. About 24 hours later, he drove his car into a ditch and a deputy confirmed his identity via the Silver Alert.

"Clearly this is a good thing," Peck said.

There are currently seven other states that have Silver Alerts or a similar system that quickly spread the word about missing seniors. Most are patterned after the Amber Alert system, which is in all 50 states.

Peck praises the system because it presents the first unified, concerted approach to locating missing seniors.

Wilson says a lost senior with dementia is comparable to a small child because both have difficulty providing a home address or a phone number. That confusion is amplified when seniors leave their familiar homes and move in with family or an assisted living facility - much like Wilson's father will soon have to do.

In Wilson's opinion, the Silver Alert adds a layer of security.

"The more comfort you have as a caretaker or as a son or daughter is that much better," Wilson said.