Thousands facing Alzheimer’s crisis could benefit from alert system, reader suggests
Create Alzheimer Alert
We would greatly minimize the frequency of patients who suffer with Alzheimer’s disease going missing if South Carolina’s legislators would write into law an “Alzheimer’s Alert.”
In the same way the Amber Alert law has helped to successfully recover 1,100+ children since 2006, an Alzheimer’s Alert law could also be an effective way to coordinate resources in our state to improve communications between families and law enforcement agencies.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s disease is a growing public health crisis in South Carolina that affects 95,000 people aged 65 and older. And this number is expected to rise.
A few months ago, I reached out to S.C. Rep. Leon Howard, D-Richland, to suggest introducing an Alzheimer’s Alert bill during the 2023 Legislative Session. He was ecstatic about this idea, and I truly believe he will make this happen.
All South Carolinians, Democrats and Republicans alike, should support this bill and push it through to be signed into law because Alzheimer’s is a mentally and physically disabling disease that can negatively impact any family.
Bridget Deline, Columbia
U.S. morality police?
World outrage is extremely justified over the beating death of the young Iranian woman Mahsa Amini by Tehran’s morality police. There is a dress code law for women and choosing to wear what you choose can have grave consequences.
I’ve been thinking there are morality police coming into existence in the United States. American women are now under laws regarding their personal healthcare decisions.
As in Iran, when a law is disregarded as it violates personal rights, America’s morality police are ready to pounce if a woman need not to have a baby.
Cynthia Newman, Beaufort
Keep women free
Testimonies have been given for and against the ban on abortion, but the issue isn’t really abortion. It’s the loss of a woman’s freedom to make very personal and often traumatic decisions about a pregnancy.
For many, there is no choice. It’s a matter of harsh reality.
Such a poignant decision should be made only by the mother because only she knows the challenges ahead. What if she’s gravely ill? What if she’s poor or homeless? What if she’s being abused?
What future would the child have?
Consider these realities: The child could become one of nearly 13 million children living in poverty; one of 17 million struggling with hunger; and one of more than 400,000 in foster care, of whom some 25% will wait years to be adopted. Too many will never be adopted.
More frightening: One out of 7 children will face abuse or neglect. If we can’t care for these children, how can we care for thousands more?
Let’s not condemn a mother and child to a life of grief. Let’s rally behind a woman’s freedom to decide.
Lynn Gerson, Bluffton
Bright lights still shine
It’s refreshing to get to know people who grew up in “The Greatest Generation.” Two such people recently passed away who had a great impact on many people on Hilton Head, Ed Furner and Leroy Reed.
The two both grew up in Mississippi, Ed in French Camp, and Leroy in Belzoni. They both attended the University of Mississippi. They both worked for IBM, and they both retired on Hilton Head.
They were both very active in the community and in their church. They loved their families, their friends and neighbors.
Unfortunately, they both passed away in 2022.
I was fortunate to get to know them. What great men.
It amazed me that as successful as they were, every time I talked to them, they never talked about themselves. They were always asking me questions about my life. They were truly people who put others first.
James Wedgeworth, HHI
