Silver Alert System: Safeguarding Seniors with Cognitive Impairments

Recent AARP studies show that one in every ten older adults has dementia. Additionally, two-thirds of seniors over 65 experience some form of cognitive decline.

This can lead to serious safety risks, but the Silver Alert system helps keep Kansas seniors safe. Read on to learn what this system is and why it's important.

What Is the Silver Alert System?

The Silver Alert system is modeled after the US Amber Alert protocol. While Amber Alerts are made to find missing children and bring them home, Silver Alerts are made to locate vulnerable seniors.

To qualify for a Silver Alert, the missing person must meet certain criteria. These criteria usually include:

• Being age 60 or above
• Having a documented cognitive disability (including Alzheimer's or dementia)
• Reside in the state in which the Silver Alert is issued

This protocol is outlined by the Kansas State Legislature in its 2019 Statute.

How Do Silver Alerts Work?

Silver Alerts are a three-step process.

First, when a vulnerable senior goes missing, the caregiver reports it to the police.

The authorities look into the senior's background. They verify that they meet the criteria for a Silver Alert to be sent out. This kicks off senior safety initiatives like cognitive impairment alerts.

The authorities file the senior as missing and send out a Silver Alert to people residing within the area. These alerts are broadcast via:

• TV and radio channels
• Social media like Facebook, X, and Instagram
• Electronic message boards in the area where the senior was last seen (above highways or in residential areas where people frequently drive)

The aim is that people will:

• See or hear the alert
• Share it with other people online or via private messages
• Keep an eye out for the missing person
• Encourage others to look for the missing senior as well

This lets the authorities find the person more quickly so they can be brought home safe and sound.

What Information Does a Silver Alert Contain?

Missing senior alerts contain several types of information.

Authorities will disseminate a description of the missing person. This description will include things like:

• Age
• Gender
• Hair color and style
• Eye color
• Skin color
• Defining features (like scars or tattoos)

Those trying to locate the senior will also include a clear photo of them when available. This leaves no doubt in people's minds that they're seeing the person in the Silver Alert if they encounter them.

Silver Alerts also contain the last known location of the missing person. This helps those in the appropriate area be more vigilant. The alert will also tell people what to do if they spot the person, including:

• Whether to approach them
• How to approach them (if they should do so at all)
• What numbers to call after seeing the missing senior

Some Silver Alerts will also include specific worries family members and caregivers have regarding the person in the alert. They may talk about:

• The specific reasons they're vulnerable
• The severity of their cognitive decline
• Conditions they have that make communication difficult

However, this will not always be included.

In addition to promoting a rapid response to the situation, Silver Alerts often come with additional information about the situation. They may offer up a specific case number for the missing person's case to make communication with authorities easier. Hotlines that people can call with anonymous tips may also help bring the person home.

Common Reasons for Silver Alerts

Dementia wandering is the main reason authorities require elderly protection systems.

This happens when someone who has dementia gets lost. Those who suffer from severe cognitive decline often feel confused about where they are and where they're going. This leads to aimless wandering.

According to the Alzheimer's Association, six in ten Americans who suffer from dementia will face this problem at some point.

Dementia wandering doesn't just cause stress and anxiety. It poses a safety risk.

Seniors who are unaware of their surroundings may walk into traffic or trespass onto dangerous properties. They also may go into dangerous areas of the town or city that they're walking around.

They also may neglect their own basic needs while wandering around. This puts seniors with dementia at risk of starvation or hygiene-related health problems.

Silver Alerts are designed to bring these seniors home as soon as possible.

Proactively Preventing Silver Alerts

Preventing dementia wandering and other potential problems is the best way to keep seniors safe. Silver Alerts are an effective method of saving vulnerable people who have already gone missing. However, they're a failsafe that you don't want to activate when you can prevent the danger from initially occurring.

To stop dementia wandering in its tracks:

• Make sure seniors' needs are met so they don't wander off in search of food or water
• Keep seniors in a secure environment
• Incorporate safety devices like alarms into the living space

Finding a quality memory care community is the best way to implement these proactive measures.

In memory care, seniors gain automatic access to:

• Secure apartments and community grounds
• Regular monitoring to ensure that they are navigating the community safety
• Color-coded areas to jog residents' minds about what part of the community they're in
• Chef-prepared meals and nutrition plans to ensure that senior's needs are met and they don't need to wander around looking for food

Addington Place of Prairie Village prioritizes dementia safety programs for residents. We take security very seriously to ensure that seniors are comfortable and safe in their well-appointed apartments.

Combined with cognitive exercises and sensory experiences made to keep residents as sharp as possible, these safety measures help to prevent confusion and wandering.

Enhance Senior Safety in Kansas City

Understanding the Silver Alert system is a crucial part of keeping your aging loved one safe. It can offer peace of mind. However, an assisted living or memory care community can help residents remain safe within its comfortable amenities.

Addington Place of Prairie Village is committed to offering a safe environment for seniors with cognitive decline. Contact us to learn why we're the best Kansas community and schedule a tour of our well-appointed amenities.