NEW YORK STATE Group wants alerts for more missing Adults who vanish could be in grave danger BY SARA FOSS Gazette Reporter
More than 60 percent of people with Alzheimer’s disease will wander at some point. And if they’re not found within 24 hours, they have a 50 percent chance of dying or being seriously injured, according to the Coalition of Alzheimer’s Association Chapters in New York State. These statistics explain why the group supports expansion of the state’s Missing and Exploited Children Clearinghouse to include missing adults. These would include dementia sufferers or others who were abducted or who are suicidal. “This bill will provide a muchneeded safety net for these most vulnerable individuals,” said Mary Ann Ragona, president of the state’s Alzheimer’s coalition. The Missing and Exploited Children Clearinghouse is part of the state Division of Criminal Justice Services and oversees two major alert systems: the Amber alerts, which are activated in cases of recent and confirmed abductions, and the Missing Child/College Student alerts, which are activated in other types of serious situations. ...........>>>>..............>>>>...................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r01101&AppName=1