Senior or Silver Alerts

The potential overuse of Amber Alerts has often been the topic for debate. The consensus is the public will become desensitized should they be activated to often.  Are states expanding them to include seniors or just implementing the first steps to respond quicker to reported missing Adults?

 

 

Virginia could soon start a Senior Alert. Last year, the State of Illinois was looking at implementing a Silver Alert modeled after the Amber Alert system to find missing seniors.

By 2020 there will be nearly 1.5 million people 65 or older living in Virginia.  To help those with dementia or other memory illnesses, the House and Senate have passed bills creating a Senior Alert.

Designed by State Police, it will help mobilize law enforcement officers within two hours once a senior citizen is reported missing.

Is the issue the lack of an alert system or the need for Law Enforcement to be more responsive to missing adults? The National Center for Missing Adults (NCMA) continues to struggle in their efforts to receive Congressional funding. Part of the dilemma was explained in this 2004 article.

Damsels in distress
If you’re missing, it helps to be young, white and female
By Alex Johnson
Reporter
MSNBC

“When we hear the word ‘missing,’ I think we instantly think of missing children,” said Kym Pasqualini, president of the National Center for Missing Adults in Phoenix. “I think we as a society need to recognize that adults are at risk, too. We have missing adults that are victims of foul play, of psychological disorders, mental health issues, [sometimes with] substance abuse involved, even Alzheimer’s.”