PALM HARBOR, Fla. (29 May) -- U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.) will hold a press conference with state legislators and local elderly and Alzheimer’s advocates to highlight his legislation (H.R. 5898) to create a federal Silver Alert Program and how such a program would bolster efforts toward implementing a Silver Alert system in Florida.

The press conference will be held on June 3rd at 10:00 a.m. at St. Mark Village located on 2655 Nebraska Avenue in Palm Harbor, Fla.

Although Florida has more people 65 and older than any other state, it has yet to implement a Silver Alert System. Florida State Representatives Tom Anderson (R-Dunedin) and Kurt Kelly (R-Ocala) will discuss planned efforts to introduce legislation for a Silver Alert system in Florida.

Congressman Bilirakis drafted his bill after an 86-year-old woman from Clearwater, Fla., Mary Zelter, went missing from her assisted living facility and apparently drown after becoming confused and drove into a body of water. Zelter’s daughter, Mary Lallucci of Belleair, Fla., called for the creation of Silver Alert systems following her mother’s death. Lalucci will also be attending Tuesday’s press conference.

Additionally, local representatives from AARP, the Florida Gulf Coast Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, CARES, and the Area Agency on Aging for Pasco and Pinellas will be on hand to talk about the need for more coordinated efforts to find missing elderly and available resources for them and their caregivers.

For more information on H.R. 5898, please visit http://bilirakis.house.gov/seniors to access the online Silver Alert Grant Program Resource Page.