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Hi. I'm State Representative Terry Brown. Welcome to my weekly update, "Talking With Terry."

Most of us have a friend or loved one who either has Alzheimer's disease or is caring for someone who does.  More than 180,000 Michigan residents have Alzheimer's, according to the Alzheimer's Association. As our society continues to age, that number will only go up. The stress on caregivers is enormous, and much of that involves worrying about how to keep their loved one safe.

Unfortunately, more than 60 percent of people with dementia will wander at some point, and many of those will become lost.  Wandering happens for a number of reasons – including confusion, restlessness, or being convinced that they have to fulfill a former job or family responsibility. When a disoriented senior wanders away, they are in extreme danger. We need to do all we can to stop these situations from having a tragic end.

My House colleagues and I have passed a plan that will help locate at-risk seniors more quickly. A quick response is essential to finding missing individuals. It is also imperative that law enforcement agencies work with local TV and radio stations and newspapers' print and online editions to get the word out to the public quickly.

The Senior Medical Alert plan that the House passed ensures that these essential steps take place when at-risk seniors wander away.

The legislation would require local law enforcement agencies to issue missing persons reports on at-risk seniors as soon as they receive information, much like Amber Alerts for missing children. As with the national Amber Alert program, the plan would also require police agencies to work closely with media and transportation officials to alert citizens about the missing senior. On a local level, our sheriff's departments and other agencies do a great job of responding quickly. This plan only helps improve those efforts. And it makes sure that those of us who have vulnerable loved ones elsewhere in the state enjoy that same protection.

Several states have passed similar legislation, including Ohio, Georgia, Kentucky, Colorado and North Carolina. Our plan, called the Senior Medical Alert or the Silver Alert, now awaits action in the State Senate.

Every family who cares for a relative with Alzheimer's works to prevent wandering and hopes their loved one never becomes lost. This plan will give families peace of mind that if this does happen, law enforcement agencies will respond quickly and thoroughly to get the word out and help bring their loved one home.

I welcome your thoughts, concerns and ideas about protecting our seniors or any other issues that are important to you and your family. You can call me, toll-free, at (888) 254-5284. Or, you can e-mail me at terrybrown@house.mi.gov.

Thank you for listening to "Talking with Terry." Make it a great day!