My name is Karen Siler, the mother of an 18-year-old man with AUTISM that went missing for 4 1/2 hours on October 6, 2009.  During his missing, there was NO PROTOCOL to help us find him.  Thankfully, a concerned citizen took the time to get him to the police, in which Ryan was able to give the information that was asked of him.  This is every parent’s worst nightmare!!  As you can imagine, I am on a mission to spread the word about the SILVER ALERT SYSTEM that is currently in place, but not well known.

The Silver Alert System has been approved in 11 states and in Nassau, Suffolk and Rockland Counties.  However, some of those states DO NOT include individuals with disabilities and/or have an age criteria.  Everyone seems to be working in his or her own little box!!  Having said that................

I spoke to Neil Arfmann, the President of THE NATIONAL SILVER ALERT PROGRAM, who has RECENTLY established a FREE Registry for ALL individuals with Alzheimer's and others with Cognitive impairments (Special Needs Persons) REGARDLESS OF AGE. Please visit www.nationalsilveralert.org and follow the first link that reads: The National Silver Alert Program for Seniors - Home.

I am in contact with Neil on a regular basis to help promote his program. Please do not hesitate to contact me for more information at kann1087@yahoo.com or (516) 698-9291.

Karen Siler, Nassau County, NY

"During the night as I frantically tried to find options, I stumbled upon a nationalsilveralert.org web site and e-mailed them my father’s photo and identifying information hoping they might be able to help when they arrived in the morning."

"At 5 a.m. I headed to the airport to catch a flight to Baltimore. As I boarded the plane, I received a phone call from Neil with the nationalsilveralert.org web site. He told me he had a press release in his hand dated October 1st which announced the implementation of a Silver Alert program in the state of Maryland."

An excerpt from: http://www.alzheimersreadingroom.com/2009/12/my-dad-missing-and-found.html

Donna Giovannetti, Lubbock, TX

"Last spring, our community was faced with having one of our senior citizens with Alzheimer’s disease go missing.  After several days of searching for him, he was found in a remote area of our state having passed away due to the hypothermia."

"When situations like this arise, time is of the essence.  As Chief of Police for this community, I need to put procedures in place to mobilize our officers in the quickest, most efficient, manner so that when the next situation arises, we can ensure that the outcome would not be tragic.  Education, for our community about what resources are available to them, is key."

"I have been actively searching the web for resources that are available to the elderly both in our state and nationally.  I have found that your website, National Silver Alert Program (nationalsilveralert.com) is an informative tool that encompasses many aspects."

"Persons with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of Dementia or cognitive disorder have the opportunity to take advantage of the free registration part of your program which will allow families a place to store vital information which would be easily accessible in the event of an emergency.  Your website also provides for information on a variety of topics such as elderly identity theft, fraud, medications, etc."

"I would encourage senior citizens and their families/caregivers to take part in your free program as well as avail themselves of the up-to-date information your website provides."

"Thank you for your service to our elderly."

"The program that National Silver Alert, Inc. has created to assist in the safe recovery of missing individuals with cognitive disorders is long overdue.  For years, physicians in my field of expertise have been asking for a program just as yours and hope more people take advantage of this innovative program."

"As a neurosurgeon who works with brain-injured individuals on a daily basis, I can see a tremendous need for this service."

David McKalip, M.D., P.A. - St. Petersburg, FL