Posted on 07/05/2014 9:31:10 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Many Baby Boomers already dread “the talk” –- suggesting their aging parents surrender car keys –- but now two geriatric experts say another thorny, family question must be asked of some elderly folks.
Is it time to give up your gun?
In a recently published paper, the two physicians offer a five-point checklist meant to help caregivers assess whether firearms remain safe in the hands and homes of older Americans, particularly if the gun owners are exhibiting unclear thinking or depression.
“Just like with some (older) people, it’s not if you should stop driving, but when,” said Dr. Ellen M. Pinholt, a co-author and former chief of geriatric medicine at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. “If we find some dementia present in a patient, it can be about when to lock up the weapon or whether we have the family take it away.
(VIDEO-AT-LINK)
“But nothing else has really been out there to help families to begin that conversation,” added Pinholt, a retired Army colonel who practices medicine in Rapid City, South Dakota. Her recommendations were informed by past home-health visits, including: one grandparent who kept a loaded handgun under a bed, a 97-year-old woman who didn’t know how to unload her weapon, and an older firearm owner who appeared confused....
(Excerpt) Read more at nbcnews.com ...
My mom passed away last fall at the age of 95, and telling stories and remembering names from the photo albums from 70 years ago. She had written a bunch of notes on the computer of odds and ends of her life, and had put most of them into a history of her life. But we need to take the rest of the notes and finish out her story.
She was also very open with the finances, and gifts of certain things that she wanted which child to get. And my dad, who had passed first many years ago, had things well arranged.
My siblings and I were very blessed. The one thing if one is not keen on sharing all of that information with the children, I wonder if a third party (trusted friend, clergy, lawyer, etc.) could be given the information, and help the person make arrangements for the sake of the survivors? And perhaps more importantly, that their finances are in order so that if they live a good long time they are taken care of.
The more appropriate question should be... “Should 19-year-old Gangster Disciple gangbanger Ja’Qu’An give up HIS gun??
Keep the government bureaucrats out of our gun cases!!!
(See? It works both ways!)
My Father passed away from Alzheimer’s back in 2007. We didn’t have to worry about his guns because as soon as my Mom told all the children he was diagmosed my one older brother who lived only 45 miles from my parents started to steal all my Dad’s guns.
One day my sister opened the gun safe and it had one pistol left and that was the one I purchased for my Dad as a present back in the 1080s. All the rest of his firearms were gone, my brother had taken them.
Many years ago, before old parents got sent to nursing homes and instead lived with their kids until they died, there was no such problem. Grandpa’s guns just drifted into being the responsibility of the son or grandson.
How comfortable would these same doctors be suggesting old people give up their right to vote?
I guess I missed the epidemic of geriatric killings. Is that who is behind the slaughter in Chicago?
The thugocracy always goes after those less able, lest they have a conversation with young black men.
Doctors, again, trying their anti-gun status, from a different angle, period.
It is none of their (*) busyness!
Exactly. Keep them in the family forever.
I’m 66 in August, I CCW. Hubby is 74 on the 19th, we have a 12 gauge with a pistol grip he likes to use for home defense.
We own a gun safe, as we have great grands. And like our meds guns are locked up when they come visit.
Idiots forget Meds are just as dangerous for a child to get into as finding a gun lying around. BUT no one considers that big butcher block full of knives sitting on most kitchen counters. And since hubby keeps them sharpened, they are sharp.
NEVER MENTION THE WORD DEPRESSION when you go to the doctor now that 0’care has charge of all your medical records. Or you might just lose your guns, permit or no permit.
OMG! You too??!!
Remember the goal, disarm the law abiding while ignoring those that spread terror. This causes the people to cry for a government solution, which is always to oppress the law abiding.
My GGGGGgrandfather was 70 years old when he marched 40 miles to Bunker Hill to fight with his musket alongside his wounded son who was bayoneted by the British. My GGGGG grandfather shot and killed the British bayoneter but his son died.
My mother still shot a .22 when she was 94.
My great grandmother always kept a shotgun full of rocksalt next to her chair on the porch til she was 92.
After the Battle of Lexington, all the old men lined the road ahead of the British who were were retreating back to Boston and harassed them as they went by, killing many redcoats
Post of the day!
Cold dead hands sums it up for me.
You Too!
That's happening Everywhere these days!
Bet you that's why gun shops are so busy - people having to buy replacements.
I've worked in a multi stage retirement center from houses to the nursing home itself and the apartments and assisted living building in between those. The risk wasn't firearms. The risk was fire. I think in the five years I worked there one gun was taken and that's because the man had a temper and not so good cognitive abilities. I was a maintenance man and I turned off the breaker on many a range. Falls and fires were the two realistic dangers were made priority.
Now they want to talk about when to take firearms? LOL I saw a woman about 85 years old and about 4'10" take on an entire floor staff with her cane and she was winning LOL.
I'm good on my firearms but my driving may be something I have to surrender at any point my condition worsens. I've know that for 20 years and I'm 56 now. It's not so much age as it is ability. As long as my seizures stay in my neck and shoulder blades I'm good to drive with docs blessings.
When Dad had his brain surgery, he told me to go home and pack up all the guns.
I cried that day. Dad taught me to shoot, but he will never be able to shoot with me again. Might break open the aneurysm again. Still, he loves to go with me to the range and watch.
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