Watching out For Ontario’s Most Vulnerable Seniors
McGuinty Government Develops Silver Advisory, Seniors With Dementia Better Protected
Ontario is developing a program to help quickly find seniors with Alzheimer’s and other cognitive impairments when they are missing.
The program will establish a standard province-wide model that communities can use to alert the public when vulnerable seniors go missing and may be in danger. The program will be the first of its kind in Canada.
The Silver Advisory program is being developed in partnership with seniors and health organizations, the Ontario Seniors’ Secretariat, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), municipal police services and broadcasters.
QUICK FACTS
- Over 180,000 Ontarians have some form of dementia — that number is expected to increase 40 per cent by 2020.
- Almost one quarter of the population of Ontario, or 4.2 million people, will be over the age of 65 by 2036.
- Six out of 10 seniors with cognitive impairments will wander from their home or caregiver at least once.
- Nearly 95 per cent of persons who wander from home are found within a quarter mile of their home or last location seen.
