If she is gone
Know the Endangered Silver Advisory Questions Before the Call: The Page to Have in Hand
The advisory depends on answers an officer needs quickly, so write those answers down now, while everyone is calm, and keep them in one place.
The Endangered Silver Advisory is Missouri's alert for a missing adult who has a cognitive impairment, and it is requested through local law enforcement. The decision to issue one belongs to the officers, not to the family. What the family controls is how quickly the right answers reach them. This guide covers what to have in hand and what to ask, so the first call is short and useful.
Local option: New Plan Care gives families in the St. Louis area in-home help so a parent can stay home: companionship, help with bathing and dressing, meals, and overnight care. Call (314) 405-0887.
Know what the officer is trying to learn
An officer taking a report wants to know who is missing, when and where she was last seen, what she was wearing, and whether she has a condition that makes it harder for her to find her way home. Those questions come in a fixed order. You will answer faster if the answers are already written on one page you can read aloud.
Gather the page before you need it
Write her full name and any name she goes by, her age, her height, and a general description. Add the clothing she last wore and the vehicle, if she drives or rides in one. Include a recent photo you can send from your phone, and the places she goes often, such as a church, a store, or a former address. List the phone numbers of the people who know her best, and note where her health information is kept so you can state it clearly without searching a drawer. Keep the page in a folder near the front door.
Ask the questions that shape the next hour
Ask the officer whether the report qualifies for an Endangered Silver Advisory and what it requires from you. Ask who will update the report if new information comes in, and how the family will be told when she is found. Ask whether the officer needs a newer photo or description later. Write the officer's name, the badge number, and the case number on the front of the page.
Confirm who holds the record
Before you hang up, ask who has the report now and which number to call if she returns home or if you remember something new. The numbers for the people who will answer at night matter more than any other entry on the sheet. The local help page lists St. Louis lifelines, and the Sources page lists where the Missouri details come from.