Elder Law

Alzheimer?s group pushes for ?Silver Alerts? in New Jersey

By dvanar

New Jersey may soon join a growing number of states that issue alerts when a person with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia or similar age-related cognitive impairments goes missing.  Lawmakers are considering a bill that would create “Silver Alerts,” community alerts similar to the widespread Amber Alert program that is used to locate and recover missing children.  If adopted, the state Attorney General’s office would issue alerts if a person with some cognitive impairment is missing, after reports are filed with local police, if it is believed the person would be in danger and there is enough information to issue one.  In addition to working with the media, State Police would coordinate with the Department of Transportation to announce the alerts on overhead highway signs.  Several states, including Florida, Colorado, Georgia, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas and Virginia, have similar Silver Alert systems, according to the National Association of State Units on Aging.

Source:  Press of Atlantic City (30 January 2009)

Full post as published by Law Office of Donald D. Vanarelli Blog on February 06, 2009 (boomark / email).