Search for Missing Person: Shin Ik Noh

Update on the Silver Alert:

The provincial government has chosen an education approach to 'prevent' wandering. At 1:43 in this interview with CTV (video), Isobel Mackenzie, the Senior's Advocate, "insists it's up to loved ones to do their part". So, it's up to the families to deal with it...

When my father was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, we researched and was well educated with the different stages of Alzheimer's and wandering. Wouldn't you expect that from a family who has someone with Alzheimer's in the family? The 'either or' and one sided approach by the government is not the solution, and really ignores the issue of wandering. We did everything we could to prevent my dad from wandering. Much like, you can do everything to try to prevent certain illnesses, but some still get diagnosed. Even with all this education and prevention, Alzheimer patients will still wander. What happens when Alzheimer patients walk out the door? What strategies has the government put into place in order to help find someone who wanders? Answer: NOTHING. There needs to be balanced strategy for wandering. The education approach by the government is simply ignoring the issue of wandering and having families to deal with it on their own. Alzheimer's is not going away and neither is wandering, so the Silver Alert needs to be further examined.

In a recent article by the Tri City Now, Port Moody-Coquitlam MLA Linda Reimer provided statements against the Silver Alert:

1) “She (Linda Reimer) suggested some of the concerns are that the Silver Alert would take away from the Amber alert used in for cases of missing children and some families don't want their loved one's faces in public.“

My response: I don't find any substance to this argument. Is there research done to back up these claims? We didn't like to blast our father's photo in the community, but we knew we had to do this in order to increase our chances of finding him. I encourage the government to further elaborate on these concerns, and provide studies and data to back up these claims. The U.S.A have overcome these concerns and 36 states, have a Silver Alert Program with a high retrieval rate.

2) “She (Linda Reimer) noted there are other programs in place including one that has the Alzheimer Society of BC teaming up with RCMP and the Canadian Medic Alert Foundation for a program called Safely Home.”

My response: I commend the government for this program. My father was part of this program. However, members of the public and even the RCMP brought him home, unaware of him having Alzheimer's even with the Medic Alert Bracelet. It takes a very engaged stranger to approach a stranger for their Medic Alert Bracelet.

Do I think my father would be home today if the Silver Alert was in place? Although there's no guarantee, there would have been a high probability of us finding him if the Silver Alert was issued for him. We would have received the confirmed sighting of him in Burke a lot quicker.

Unfortunately, the issue of wandering will not go away and neither will I. Alzheimer's is on the rise and within 5 years, 50% more Canadian families will be dealing with Alzheimer's. 6 in 10 people with dementia, or 450,000 Canadians, will wander at least once.

The private member's bill for the Silver Alert proposed by N.D.P Selina Robinson, was quickly shot down by the government without any research to back up the government's concerns. I agree this is a complicated issue but I'm outraged that the private members bill for the Silver Alert was instantly dismissed by the government, literally within an hour, without any research or valid claims. The discussion for the Silver Alert needs to continue. I wonder if there may be political reasons for the government not supporting the Silver Alert...

In 2014, the Ministry of Health donated $4 million to the Alzheimer's Society in new funding for the expansion of the First Link® program to more communities across the province by 2018. 4 million!!!? versus $50,000 to implement the Silver Alert? By the way, we already have the technology in place for the Silver Alert.

The only tool that currently exists to help find an Alzheimer's patient is the online B.C Silver Alert BcSilverAlert.ca, an online social media tool. This is funded solely by donations. Not a dime was given by the government to fund this, although the BC Silver Alert has been very receptive by social media. The online B.C Silver Alert issued 35 alerts within the first year of it being launched on social media platforms. 34 Alzheimer patients were reunited with their families. I realize there currently isn't a way to track how these people were found, but we've had reports in one particular case that someone knew an Alzheimer patient was missing after seeing a post on social media. The Alzheimer patient was found as a result.

The technology already exists for the Silver Alert, the public is clearly wanting to help, and the media is very responsive, so I encourage the government to further examine implementing the Silver Alert.

I encourage you to write Linda Reimer and Minister Terry Lake and ask them to further elaborate on their concerns and to show your support for the Silver Alert. My mission is to save future families dealing with Alzheimer's the turmoil and anguish of looking for a loved one. The issue of wandering is NOT going away.

Please join me and write and email:

Linda Reimer
130 Brew St #203, Port Moody, BC V3H 03E
Email:

Minister Terry Lake 618-B Tranquille Road
Kamloops, BC
V2B 3H6
Email:

Two years later, Shin Noh's family seeks answers - thenownews.com

This Set of Dishes Is Designed For People With Dementia - HuffingtonPost.ca

2nd Annual Walk for Shin - Saturday September 19, 2015

- 9AM @ Eagle Ridge United Church, Coquitlam.

Save the date!

Facebook Event Page

If this works for the amber alert, why not then for the Silver Alert?

Facebook Amber Alerts systems launches in Canada - CTVNews.ca

Details on our concept for the implementation of a Silver Alert

BC Silver Alert Concept

Silver Alert still a dream for Coquitlam Man - News1130.com

Happy New Year! Wishing you and your family a wonderful year ahead.

Today is also dad's birthday. Hoping for peace and happiness this year...

I miss you dad... Merry Christmas!

"There were a total of eight Silver Alerts since we started this program in September.

Read about the back story of the BC Silver alert, the first of its kind, citizen led silver alert system, and how three strangers brought together by tragedy decided to try to make a difference."

http://bcsilveralert.ca/Story/

"Mass notification service in Saskatchewan. Our vision for a Silver Alert includes exactly this kind of service, targeted at the neighbourhood where the person went missing..." https://www.facebook.com/BCSilverAlert/

City-wide notifynow test happening Thursday in Saskatoon - GlobalNews.ca (click on image for article)

"6 in 10 people with dementia, or 450,000 Canadians, will wander at least once..."

Silver Alert needed! Please write to your local MLA, the Seniors Advocate Isobel Mackenzie, Minister Terry Lake and to my MLA's Linda Reimer and Doug Horne.

The Wanderers - thestar.com (click on image for article)

I think this is great news for families dealing with Alzheimer's. However, the $4 million dollar in funding for the First Link Program still doesn't address the issue of wandering. Do you think our tax dollars were well spent for this?

What happens even with prevention and education programs when an Alzheimer patient wanders?

Alzheimer Society of B.C. link

The City of Vancouver can text you when it's Garbage Day in your area. The same technology can be used to alert you when there is a missing senior, child, or person with autism.

It could also be used to alert you for an evacuation, or other emergency. We would like to see municipalities invest in alerting services like this.

Look up your garbage and recycling collection schedules - vancouver.ca (click on image for article)

Our family would like to thank everyone for their support for the Walk for Shin. We had over 250 attendees and volunteers and raised $1,146.10 to promote the https://www.facebook.com/BCSilverAlert/ (Citizen Silver Alert). A big thank you to everyone!

We would like to thank the Cob's Bread at Sutterbrook Village and the Cob's Bread at Sunwood Square, and the Eagle Ridge Starbucks, for the snacks and refreshments. We would like to thank the personal donation from Sharon Perry ($100 Starbucks Gift Card) and Avita (Tim Horton's hot chocolate). We would like to thank Sally, Selina Robinson, Pastor Barry and all the volunteers for officiating, setting up and speaking at the event. Also thank you to Eagle Ridge United Church for hosting us.

Walk for Shin

Silver Alert calls renewed at walk for missing senior - BC.CTVNews.ca (click on image for article)

Video and article of today's Walk for Shin. Thank you to all volunteers and our community!

First annual walk for Shin Noh - GlobalNews.ca (click on image for article)

First annual walk for Shin Noh - GlobalNews.ca