Many Americans have off this holiday season, and that’s the perfect time to wrap things up for the end of the year.  If you have an elderly loved one, consider making one of your priorities to register them for the “Silver Alert” program. 

Just like an Amber Alert is issued for a missing child, a Silver Alert is sent out for a missing elderly person. It works as an emergency system, decided by law enforcement, to broadcast a statewide alert for missing seniors. In most cases, the alerts are sent out for persons 60 or older, and most victims are mentally impaired and suffer from dementia. About 5 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s.

This is a great program to protect the senior citizens of our nation who can no longer take care of themselves. Maryland State police used the system for the first time in November 2009 to help locate an elderly man, and it worked. The victim was found safely by a BGE worker on a street corner. The alerts are generally displayed on highway billboards and over local television and radio stations. Please consider registering your family member or friend on line, it provides a safe and secure place to store vital medical information that can be easily accessed in case of an emergency.