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Rep. Ashe supports 'Silver Alert' legislation |
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BOSTON -- State Representative Brian Ashe recently joined his colleagues in the Massachusetts House of Representatives in passing legislation to establish a Silver Alert program to assist in locating seniors with Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia who have gone missing.
"With the establishment of the Silver Alert program, we hope to give the families of those with Alzheimer's or other types of dementia peace of mind while facilitating an efficient, effective method for finding their loved ones," House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo said.
"The Silver Alert will give comfort to families that are taking care, at home, of a loved one who suffers from Alzheimer's disease or other form of dementia," said Representative Alice Wolf, House Chair of the Joint Committee on Elder Affairs. "People with these diseases often wander away. The bill sets up a coordinated, community system by trained first responders EMTs, police, firefighters to find wanderers quickly and thus keep them from harm."
Representative Ashe (D-Longmeadow) stated "This is an extremely important bill and I am very happy to see it move forward. With seniors and their families going through very difficult times with a debilitating disease such as Alzheimer's, this bill offers them some piece of mind".
The Silver Alert program would provide for a coordinated approach to locating an individual with dementia.
The bill directs law enforcement and other key response resources to focus in a geographic area consistent with the missing person's last know location.
The legislation requires training for law enforcement and key responders. This training will be incorporated into emergency personnel training that is currently in practice.
Some 120,000 people in Massachusetts have Alzheimer's disease with the number expected to increase by 17 percent by the year 2025.
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