My father has alzheimer's but refuses to leave his gun collection alone. How do we handle this?

Hi, Neisha,

You've asked a difficult question (and one I haven't had to deal with). Here's my best take on how to handle this situation. I would suggest that at some point soon, a family member or friend take your father out of the house for an extended period of time. At that point, you may want to collect the guns and then put them into the gun safe. I'd also talk to his doctor as well as the legal authorities about how to revoke his concealed weapons carrier license.

I'll keep thinking about how to handle this situation. I'm sure others will weigh in with their thoughts.

Take care!

Dorian

Hi, Neisha,

Two other thoughts for you -

1. My dad suggested finding the guns and putting blanks in them instead of live ammo. (Again, we've never had to deal with this situation so this may not be a good suggestion).

2. Also, you might talk to your father's doctor about whether some medication can be prescribed that will dull your father's anger. I know that my mom would get very paranoid at times, but if we gave her a certain medication, the paranoia would ease.

Also, I've e-mailed the producer of this website to see if she could help find an answer for this question. So stay tuned....

Dorian

It is a difficult situation. I heard that someone's AD parent had guns and went to trouble with the laws. So you definitely have to take the guns away. Maybe you can somehow sneak some of them out and put them in another house or place where he cannot reach at all. It would take some white lies to take the guns. Stage 5 or 6 is like my father-in-law's. He is in mid stage 6 or something and we needed to take away his research papers and money so he cannot fool around with them and make trouble. But he never has guns.... He does not drive any more.

I suggest that you talk to the police or social worker or whoever has experiences with the weapons.

Keep us posted,

Nina

HI, Neisha,

I took a poll last night of friends. Here are their thoughts:

- Hide the ammo.

- Remove the guns one at a time from the house so it doesn't become an issue. (This was suggested by several friends. One of those friends had a father who had Alzheimer's and she noted that he eventually forgot that he had the guns.)

Take care and keep us posted!

Dorian

Hi, Neisha,

Here's one more option for you, courtesy of a friend who also has a gun collection:

They can be professionally made inoperable without damaging the weapon(s) ie. remove the firing pins.

Hope this helps!

Dorian

One correction on my last post. That should read:

If he is not still dismantling and cleaning and (of course) firing them, they can be professionally made inoperable without damaging the weapon(s) ie. remove the firing pins.

Take care!

Dorian

Access to guns and other types of weapons can be a major risk when dealing with an individual with Alzheimer’s disease.  When someone has Alzheimer's disease, their judgment and decision making can become impaired; this can make activities that were once routine, now unsafe.  If your father is exhibiting anger about putting the guns away, this could also present a problem.  If he is becoming agitated and carrying the guns around, it is a concern that the gun could be mishandled and cause an injury or worse to either your father or someone else.  Hiding them is not a viable solution. If the guns are hidden around the house, there is also a concern about who else may find the gun, which also poses a safety risk
 
First and foremost, it is crucial to find and remove all of the guns from the household. Once this is done, there are behavioral interventions that you can try if conversation about the guns is raised by your father or if he exhibits behavioral challenges. If your father asks where they are, it is important to stay calm and redirect the conversation.  If your father is angry about the removal of the guns, validate your father’s loss of independence by stating, “Dad, I know you are angry but we are concerned for your safety.  Why don’t we go get a drink and relax."  Redirecting him to another room or conversation can help diffuse the situation.  There is no doubt that this will be a difficult decision for your father to cope with, but you can help him get through it with support and encouragement. If behavioral challenges arise that you cannot handle, it is important to discuss them with your father's healthcare professional.