A Silver Alert is a public notification system in the United States to broadcast information about missing persons, especially senior citizens with Alzheimers disease, dementia, or other mental disabilities, in order to aid in locating them. The Silver Alert program was created by Texas legislation in 2007 to notify the public of missing older adults with a documented mental condition. The criteria for issuing a Silver Alert in Texas include:

• The missing person is 65 years of age or older or has been diagnosed with Alzheimers Disease.
• It is confirmed that an investigation has taken place verifying that the senior citizens disappearance is due to his/her impaired mental condition, and alternative reasons for the senior citizens disappearance have been ruled out.
• The Silver Alert request is within 72 hours of the senior citizens disappearance.

Silver Alerts use a wide array of media outlets, such as commercial radio stations, television stations, and cable television, to broadcast information about missing persons. In some states, including Texas, Silver Alerts also use variable-message signs on roadways to alert motorists to be on the lookout for missing seniors. When a Silver Alert is issued, the alert disseminates information about the person, including physical description, what they were wearing, and where they were last seen. Local law enforcement must investigate and conclude the disappearance poses a credible threat to the persons welfare before issuing a Silver Alert. Anyone who sees a missing person from a Silver Alert is asked to call 911.