Gold, Silver, and MEPA Alerts: Protecting Aging and Special Needs Adults in PA

We have all had the experience of a loud alert spontaneously going off on our mobile phone, alerting us to a missing person in our area. Gold and Silver alerts help families locate and protect missing loved ones. Often, the adults protected by these alerts suffer from some cognitive impairment and multiple other medical conditions. In Pennsylvania, authorities use the Missing Endangered Person Advisory (MEPA) system to assist in the recovery of aging and vulnerable adults.

If you have concerns about your aging parent or other adult in need of protection, contact the LLF Law Firm. The LLF Law Firm Family Law Team can advise you on methods of protecting and caring for your loved one despite health challenges and aging. Call the LLF Law Firm today at 888-535-3686 or use our online form.

Gold, Silver, and MEPA Alerts

Many states use gold and silver alerts to notify the public about missing seniors or vulnerable adults. Thirty-seven states have enacted either Gold or Silver Alert programs for missing seniors and vulnerable adults, and twenty-eight states use these programs to recover missing persons. Pennsylvania does not use a Gold or Silver Alert, but instead uses a Missing Endangered Person Advisory (MEPA) system to assist in the recovery of missing persons at risk for harm. The MEPA system protects older Pennsylvanians and those vulnerable to harm due to disability or other factors. The MEPA system applies when:

• A person is missing under unexplained or suspicious circumstances.
• This person’s health or age places them in peril of bodily injury or death.
• Public notification could assist in recovery.

After a report justifying the use of MEPA, authorities send alerts to local media, to the public, and to law enforcement. This system can kick in very quickly following the report of a missing adult with dementia or other special needs.

Strategies to Protect Aging and Vulnerable Adults

If a family member has dementia or is a special needs adult, you likely have concerns about all aspects of their well-being and safety. In addition to the MEPA system, PA families have several tools to protect adults and seniors with special needs. Where you have concerns regarding the inability of a loved one to make financial and other decisions, you may seek guardianship or conservatorship.  If you have concerns that your loved one is being abused or is being financially exploited, you may wish to seek an Order of Protection. It may be advantageous to engage in estate planningto protect your loved one’s assets, given the possibility of catastrophic healthcare costs. At the LLF Law Firm, we understand that caregiving responsibilities can be stressful, and we can help protect a loved one at home or in an assisted living facility. Whatever your concern, let us help you plan for and protect your aging or special-needs loved one.

How the LLF Law Firm Can Help

If you have an aging parent or loved one with special needs, the LLF Law Firm is here to help you plan for their care and protection. The LLF Law Firm Family Law Team can provide advice on ways to support your loved one, regardless of any aging or health challenges they may face. Call the LLF Law Firm today at 888-535-3686 or use our online form,and we will reach out to you.