By 2030, nearly one in five US residents is expected to be aged 65 years or older, and by 2050 the elderly population is expected to double. Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, conditions that afflict largely the elderly, will also increase. They often exhibit memory loss, personality changes, confusion, anxiety, fluctuating lucidity, and other symptoms that can affect a person’s ability to act responsibly, competently, and safely. Some symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, such as hallucinations, or not recognizing familiar persons have been associated with aggressive behavior. Aggressiveness on it’s own can be a dangerous situation. Add firearms to the mix and there is a problem.
Limiting access to anything that can harm the caregiver makes sense. How do we go about keeping the caregiver and others safe and still respect the needs of the person being cared for?
First, it is important to consider the demand side—that is, why do people want to have weapons? There are numerous reasons that can be given. The underlying question is most pertinent for our purposes – how do people perceive their personal safety in their residence? Take inventory of things that might cause fear and correct them. Better locks on the door. Install peepholes. Cameras at the door, at the end of a long driveway and covering outbuildings, as needed. Window blinds or heavy curtains. Alarms that sound if a door opens. Outdoor lights, including strategically placed motion activated units – especially in rural areas. Secure fencing. Mobile phones can be programmed for severe weather alerts. A greater sense of security makes anyone feel safer and protected.
Second, we need to understand how the elderly’s access to weapons affects their families and caretakers. Individuals with dementia are as diverse as any other segment of the population. It is difficult to predict their actions in any given situation. Or to predict the particular changes that dementia brings. Persons with dementia, can sometimes fail to recognize people who are familiar. Delusions about home intruders or confusion about the identity of persons in their lives may lead them to confront family members, health aides, or other visitors. Some types of dementia are prone to aggressiveness and those who have it, cannot be persuaded by reason. Access to a firearm may increase the potential for injury or death in these situations. The caregiver question comes – how do we keep everyone safe?
Third, mental health problems have long been linked to suicide. However, it is important to acknowledge that physical health problems are more likely to be a factor in the elderly. When health issues converge with multiple mental stressors it creates hopelessness and despair, often resulting in suicidal thoughts. The decision to carry through, according to one study of some who survived an attempt, indicated that it was an average of FIVE MINUTES OR LESS between making the decision and actually pulling the trigger.
That fact leads to the solution. One of the most powerful risk factors for suicide deaths is the ready availability of highly lethal methods. In the U.S., that means guns.
Make it harder – time –consuming – to find the means to follow through with the decision made in distress. Store ammunition separately in a locked box. Locking the weapon firing mechanisms individually is a quick and relatively inexpensive solution. Many people choose a locked safe for rifles and a locked box for the smaller pieces. The caregiver is the keeper of the key – whether it is handed to them or surreptitiously pocketed for safer storage. A high, very difficult to reach shelf in an out of the way storage area also works. The goal is to increase the time needed to carry out the decision. Contrary to common belief, those who intend to harm themselves will not seek another means if they cannot carry through with the first. Research also indicates that there will be no follow up attempt at a later time. That, however, does not end the need to take preventive measures.
If your loved one is willing, it may be possible to talk about “retiring” the firearms. The University of Colorado suggests: Don’t mention getting rid of them or getting them out of the house or other such phrases. By saying “retiring” you are acknowledging their importance in the past and the entering of another life phase. People are used to the concept of retirement so addressing the issue in this way is less likely to cause resistance. . The timing of this action is linked by some researchers to the decision to “retire” from driving, as both require a great deal of focused attention and concentrated use of executive function in making quick decisions.
If you are worried about a friend or family member, ask them directly about suicide and encourage them to seek help. You are not putting “ideas into their head” or “giving permission”. You are letting them know you are concerned for their welfare and that you are there to help. If the reply is affirmative, don’t scold, act shocked or panic. Keep calm. Make the arrangements to see a doctor or therapist and give the reason for your call to the receptionist so they can expedite the appointment and notify the doctor ahead of time. Go to the appointment with them. It may be helpful to call a hotline, if there will be several days wait. Talk with the person about safe firearm storage and the possibility of temporarily storing firearms with a trusted friend, relative, or elsewhere. It is better to have the topic brought into the open than letting someone stew themselves into taking action.
Perhaps the person with dementia would like to pass firearms on to younger family members or sell them. Be sure to check your state laws so you can comply with all the regulations regarding transfer of ownership. (See reference sources below.) State laws vary wildly. Remember my archery class where I had to look at the target on the right to hit the one in front of me? My state might not issue me a permit because of my eyesight – one of two states that requires proof of an eye exam. But the neighboring state, is one of two that says everyone without a criminal record can obtain a license – specifically including the blind! Only two states – Hawaii and Texas according to alz.org – specifically mention dementia as a reason for not carrying a firearm. Texas allows purchase, but not carry with a dementia diagnosis.
I remember my never-show-emotion father’s distress at hearing of his friend’s decision to end his suffering in this manner. And that family’s distress that no one had ever even considered the possibility and “put things away from him”. And hearing multiple news reports of persons with dementia, responding with deadly force to someone seeking help or a relative they did not recognize.
This is a caregiver issue that is often difficult to address, but that can have significant consequences. Below is a link to a list of resources – saving you time as a family caregiver – that may be helpful to you, if you are in this situation.
Click HERE for resources on this topic.