It can happen in the blink of an eye: Silver Alert program will help find missing elderly loved ones

Silver Alert program to start in Wisconsin on Aug. 1

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Few things can be more frightening than when an elderly loved one goes missing. A new system to send alerts when an at-risk adult has gone missing will be active starting Friday, August 1st. It's called the Silver Alert program -- and would operate similar to the Amber Alert system for missing children.

Antoinette Gordon says it's hard to believe how fast her young daughter is growing.

"She surprises me more and more every day," Gordon said.

In just two years, little Valenae has gotten quick -- so you have to keep an eye on her.

"In the blink of an eye, they can go somewhere and you won't even know it," Gordon said.

A child isn't the only one who can slip away. For Gordon, it was her mother.

"I couldn't find her. It was heartbreaking. It was scary and panicky and everything else in the world because everything runs through your mind at once," Gordon said.

Gordon's mother's life was difficult toward the end. Symptoms of dementia left her confused and on several occasions, she went missing.

Gordon remembers one call in particular.

"My heart dropped. It dropped to the bottom of my stomach and I'm like 'what do your mean?' My heart got to pounding and my mind a million different ways and I was like, 'I have to go home and find my mom,'" Gordon said.

Starting Friday, August 1st, a new Wisconsin law takes effect -- meant to help find missing people with dementia or Alzheimer's.

The Silver Alert program will use the state’s pre-existing Crime Alert Network to quickly get out information about missing adults, like those with Alzheimer’s, who may be in danger. Law enforcement agencies would send the information to broadcasters and others to quickly get the word out about the missing senior.

CLICK HERE TO RECEIVE SILVER ALERTS FROM THE WIS. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

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