Armed Polite Society
Main Forums => Politics => Topic started by: MillCreek on July 15, 2018, 05:40:46 PM
-
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/dementia-and-guns-in-washington-state-and-elsewhere-weapons-remain-in-homes/
A thought-provoking article. Dementia is one of the more common diagnoses leading to hospice care. When I was the risk manager for the hospice service lines at the very large healthcare system, we ultimately decided to only provide hospice if the guns in the home were secured during our visits. Prior to this decision, I had several cases of demented patients brandishing or threatening my hospice providers and this led to some union and OSHA complaints regarding workplace safety.
If this were to happen to me, I would have no problem in having friends or family secure all the firearms or other dangerous items from me.
-
If this were to happen to me, I would have no problem in having friends or family secure all the firearms or other dangerous items from me.
I believe one of the problems with dementia is that one's judgment is impaired. Can you really say what you would do?
-
I believe one of the problems with dementia is that one's judgment is impaired. Can you really say what you would do?
Hopefully Millcreek's family would ....
Years ago, I had to take my mother's revolver away from her when she threatened to meet her part time helper at the door with it. This wasn't dementia, it was determined to be a reaction to a drug she was on (she was on A LOT of those!) and when that was corrected, she became sane. But she never got that revolver back; neither my sister or I believed she had the strength in her wrists to use it safely.
Getting old stinks ... sometimes. But family can be a blessing.
-
I see this situation as analogous to taking away the car keys from an aging parent when they can no longer drive safely.
-
I see this situation as analogous to taking away the car keys from an aging parent when they can no longer drive safely.
Not really the same.
My grandfather retired himself from driving voluntarily when he felt his reactions weren't up to his standard for driving safely. But he was fully in possession of his reason, and nobody would have worried about his having access to a firearm -- which he did, right up until he died.
-
^^^And if your grandfather was in possession of his reason, was going blind from macular degeneration and yet refused to give up his car keys, would you have done anything about it?
-
Not really the same.
My grandfather retired himself from driving voluntarily when he felt his reactions weren't up to his standard for driving safely. But he was fully in possession of his reason, and nobody would have worried about his having access to a firearm -- which he did, right up until he died.
Not necessarily the same. There are those that get dementia while still physically able.
Had to take grandpa's guns away near the end.
-
"From my liver-spotted hands!"
-
Couple of years ago I had to take my revolver back from my Mom. I talked about it here both before and after I took it.
It caused a LOT of stress. It was the right decision.
-
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/11/13/660052285/firearms-and-dementia-how-do-you-convince-a-loved-one-to-give-up-their-guns?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=science
Another article on the subject.
-
this is very depressing for me.
I really do not have family that know me anymore.
i have a younger brother who is a cop, a younger sister with a cleaning business i communicate with them about
once a yr, and they don't really know or understand me.
I'll probably have to do myself in when I'm to old/etc to care for myself.
-
If this were to happen to me, I would have no problem in having friends or family secure all the firearms or other dangerous items from me.
You say that now, when you aren't suffering from dementia. You can't predict what you might or might not have a problem with the the Big D takes over your brain. My guess is that you very much would have a problem -- if you remembered from one day to the next that you had guns in the house.
Carol says the conversation about firearms wasn't nearly so easy with another family member: a brother-in-law with dementia, who was deeply attached to his gun collection.
"Those guns were like a part of his persona," Carol says, "and he would throw temper tantrums. He would say, 'Nobody's gonna take my guns.' Finally, he ended up with no guns, but by that time, his dementia was so bad, he didn't know he didn't have 'em."
-
We just had a long term board of a dog who's owner has Parkenson's and ND'ed a round into his own hand.
My boss and I argued over the difference between ND and AD because of this. She did not appreciate that I felt strongly that it qualified as an ND. In my book, the owner should have known that he was physically incapable of handling a firearm safely.
That said, many people refuse to give up things they should not be doing when faced with physical or mental disability (be it brought on by age or disease) and it is a problem.
-
Nothing to worry about. If you are worried, just have the police drop by. What could go wrong?
[popcorn]
-
I see this situation as analogous to taking away the car keys from an aging parent when they can no longer drive safely.
This. Sometimes things become necessary when an aging parent becomes incapable of rational thought/action. We went through that with my Grandfather (Dad's side) on several levels. It sucked hugely but it was necessary.
Brad
-
I have gotten to where I can't get out and practice a lot or go shooting regularly and I AM getting old(er) and my memory isn't what it once was so to that end, I have given away or sold at ridiculously low prices my family guns to my nephew and his son/daughters. He is an Airborne Mortarman and a Conservative Gun guy. I just called him up and asked if he wanted my dad's S&W Model 10-8 .38spl (with Rodgers Combat Grips).
(https://armedpolitesociety.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fherohog.com%2Fimages%2Fguns%2FModel10L.jpg&hash=e1fbfdfd1a7498afa8d793b77b07793faef8662b)
I'm a bit sad... :'( :old:
I'm down to a G19, Model 60 Marlin and a 22/45 target/competition pistol.
-
My grandfather passed at 95, a couple of years back. He was in good shape, mentally and physically, up until about a month before he went. He then suffered memory loss and some significant paranoia. He was in Florida, and I didn't learn of this until I went down to his funeral. After the funeral, I went to his home with other family and his wife. She invited me and other family to look around for small keepsakes and clothing to take, which would be meaningless in the probate process. My grandfather had always kept one handgun, a 1950s era Colt 1911 in .38 Super, loaded as a defensive handgun. As I looked around, I found probably a dozen firearms stashed about their home, all fully loaded. Some were a little scary, like the Winchester .30-30 with the hammer cocked over a loaded chamber in a golf bag with golf clubs in a closet by the front door. There was also a Smith 686 revolver in a kitchen cabinet, also locked. Both bathrooms had High Standard .22 Magnum derringers in a drawer.
(Yes, he had some nice guns. He had promised me the Colt, but it wasn't in the will. My step-grandmother was executor of his estate. She is from NYC, and an anti-gun Republican. She sold all of the guns to a dealer for a fraction of their real value, much less sentimental value. The dealer she sold the guns to offered to sell me the Colt for $5K. :'(