R E S O L U T I O N
1-1 WHEREAS, The Texas House of Representatives is pleased to
1-2 recognize Safe Return, a nationwide identification, support, and
1-3 registration program for persons suffering from Alzheimer's disease
1-4 and their caretakers; and
1-5 WHEREAS, Each year, millions of Americans afflicted with
1-6 Alzheimer's disease lose their ability to recognize familiar places
1-7 and people; these sufferers easily become lost and can wander far
1-8 from home; and
1-9 WHEREAS, Families and caretakers of those with Alzheimer's
1-10 disease live in constant fear that their loved ones may become
1-11 disoriented and stray beyond the safety of their homes; such
1-12 incidents can occur even when sufferers are vigilantly monitored;
1-13 and
1-14 WHEREAS, Safe Return assists families and caretakers by
1-15 promptly identifying and returning those Alzheimer's sufferers who
1-16 become lost; the organization accomplishes its goal by providing
1-17 those with Alzheimer's an identification bracelet or necklace,
1-18 clothing labels, and wallet cards; these items, which feature a
1-19 toll-free crisis number, signal that the individual is
1-20 memory-impaired and may need help; and
1-21 WHEREAS, To assist in the locating and return of lost
1-22 persons, Safe Return maintains a national information and photo
1-23 database that includes important emergency contact information and
1-24 photographs of Alzheimer's patients, a 24-hour, toll-free crisis
2-1 line, and a fax alert notification system; and
2-2 WHEREAS, In addition to its identification services, Safe
2-3 Return acts as an education center for those families coping with
2-4 Alzheimer's disease; it offers training on how to handle wandering
2-5 behavior and also provides information about a nationwide network
2-6 of over 200 community-based Alzheimer's support chapters; and
2-7 WHEREAS, Safe Return's success depends on community
2-8 cooperation: radio and television stations that broadcast the
2-9 names and likenesses of missing Alzheimer's patients and those
2-10 citizens who take responsibility for helping them play a critical
2-11 role in this important public health effort; and
2-12 WHEREAS, For the families and caretakers of Alzheimer's
2-13 sufferers, the knowledge that their loved ones may become lost is
2-14 one of the most unsettling aspects of the disease; Safe Return is
2-15 an invaluable resource for these families and caretakers, serving a
2-16 critical health care need in communities throughout Texas and
2-17 around the nation; now, therefore, be it
2-18 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas
2-19 Legislature hereby commend the humanitarian work of Safe Return and
2-20 encourage radio and television stations in Texas to implement a
2-21 plan to help Safe Return find missing Alzheimer's patients.
Brimer
Laney Goodman Merritt
Alexander Goolsby Miller
Allen Gray Moreno of Harris
Averitt Green Moreno of El Paso
Bailey Grusendorf Morrison
Berman Gutierrez Mowery
Bonnen Haggerty Naishtat
Bosse Hamric Najera
Brimer Hardcastle Nixon
Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Noriega
Brown of Brazos Hawley Oliveira
Burnam Heflin Olivo
Callegari Hilbert Pickett
Capelo Hilderbran Pitts
Carter Hill Puente
Chavez Hinojosa Ramsay
Chisum Hochberg Rangel
Christian Hodge Raymond
Clark Homer Reyna of Bexar
Coleman Hope Reyna of Dallas
Cook Hopson Ritter
Corte Howard Sadler
Counts Hunter Salinas
Crabb Hupp Seaman
Craddick Isett Shields
Crownover Janek Smith
Danburg Jones of Lubbock Smithee
Davis of Harris Jones of Bexar Solis
Davis of Dallas Jones of Dallas Solomons
Delisi Junell Swinford
Denny Keel Talton
Deshotel Keffer Telford
Driver King of Parker Thompson
Dukes King of Uvalde Tillery
Dunnam Kitchen Truitt
Dutton Kolkhorst Turner of Coleman
Edwards Krusee Turner of Harris
Ehrhardt Kuempel Uher
Eiland Lewis of Tarrant Uresti
Elkins Lewis of Orange Villarreal
Ellis Longoria Walker
Farabee Luna West
Farrar McCall Williams
Flores McClendon Wilson
Gallego McReynolds Wise
Garcia Madden Wohlgemuth
George Marchant Wolens
Geren Martinez Fischer Woolley
Giddings Maxey Yarbrough
Glaze Menendez Zbranek
_______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 560 was adopted by the House on March
19, 2001, by a non-record vote.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House