I don’t think ii would ever hurt anyone. But in nursing if have seen severe cases. I just want to make sure their are safeguards for me in place. It scares the shit out of me.
Oh hi I’m a psychiatric nurse!
Most important: Pick the three people you trust most in the world, put them in order of who you want making decisions for you the most, then talk to your doctor about what paperwork you need to sign for that. Then talk to those people at length about how you want to die and what would make you feel the safest and happiest day-to-day. Think about what things you do for fun / relaxation, what kind of music you like you listen to, etc.
If you’re up to it, I also highly recommend Wellness Recovery Action Planning. It’s more designed for people who are more likely to recover, but it’ll give you a template to go off to communicate your day to day needs in a written format for your legal decision makers and healthcare professionals to make you feel safe and comfortable as you progress through these next few stages. And if you do this have a special section just for music; it’s the part of your brain that’s likely to keep working the longest. Make two playlists, one to dance / have fun to, and one to relax / sleep to.
I wouldn’t fuss too much on the gun thing unless you already have one / have been used to having one for most of your life. If you were never a gun person before you’re unlikely to randomly just go out and buy one.
Good luck and I really hope you’re able to find trustworthy people to make decisions for you because without them to actually carry out your wishes, literally anything else you decide on now is completely moot.
First things first - you need to get someone you love and trust and get them power of attorney. You will eventually lose competence to make decisions for yourself and will need someone to be able to legally do so on your behalf.
As for guardrails, senior proof your home once and you’ll be fine.
I’m very sorry to hear that. What is your family support situation look like? That’s one of the most important factors.
I’m sorry 😔
Oh my… That’s horrible, I wish you well.
Do you know anyone that you trust unconditionally?
You should assign someone durable power of attorney so that they can make decisions and manage your finances. Start planning medical and care decisions right now.
Otherwise, why do you think you would buy a gun? That’s not really common among people with dementia. Does your state have medical marijuana? Get a medical marijuana card. Most places, that will disqualify you or make it difficult.
Make sure someone is getting you evaluated regularly. Mental illness is also a disqualifier for gun purchases. A dementia diagnosis won’t necessarily disqualify you, though (except in Hawaii and Texas).
Also, check if your state has passed Donna’s Law.
You could wear a chastity belt to prevent yourself from screwing anyone.
I appreciate the humour, but perhaps not the best thread.
if you can’t laugh at a tragedy, it could kill you.
Gosh, I’m so sorry this is happening to you. Yes you should do what the others have said about getting someone trustworthy in charge of your legal affairs while you’re still able to sign them over.
Yeah, might be a good idea to get on the Don’t Sell list. Otherwise a person in your situation might give in to the urge to commit Dumpicide and either use their diagnosis as a defense or be shot by the Secret Service and spared the long decline.
Elder care lawyer
I have seen people with middle-late stages of Alzheimer’s. They have problems even with chewing food. Shooting gun? Impossible even in theory. Dead cat would be deadlier using the gun.
If you just want to get rid of some intrusive thoughts then get rid of a gun right now. You have much more serious problems than that.
With regard to the gun thing, contact your state police (in the US), they should be able to help.
This is it here. I’m in Tennessee. We have to fill out a form to purchase a gun from a shop. It’s the back ground check for the purchase.
Anyway… I was denied once because the state left off some letters of my name for my driver’s license. #LongNameProblems
Anyway… what I wrote didn’t match what the state had. And I was denied.
So my suggestion is the same as yours… to have the tbi (or equivalent) flag them as medically unwell and to always deny.
Granted that won’t matter in person to person sales . But it’s something at least.
Not even that, contact the respective state DOJ and have them put you on the restricted list.
You can still buy kits for old designs or anything designed before a certain year, can’t remember exactly.
I’m sure it depends on the state. Where I am, state police manage firearm shit.
Omg no. Now you have 2 problems
US authorities can’t be trusted imo.
Honest question though: do you think you SHOULD own a gun?
He clearly doesn’t. Hence the question.
I think you have missed what they were really asking.
It sounds like he’s asking op if he believes he should own a gun. When he clearly said he wants to be blocked from owning guns.
Completely missing the point.
what is the point?
There are segments of the population that FEEL like it’s a god given right to have guns.
People with dementia revert back to a specific mind state that doesn’t register there is an issue, hence this person’s question.
Somebody with Alzheimer’s or any stage of Dementia may just walk down the street and buy a gun. Which is my real question.
Does this person FEEL like they SHOULD own a gun? If it’s something they would normally not think about, it’s unlikely that they would-at any stage of memory loss-go and get a gun.
These diseases don’t completely change your personality and suddenly make you a different creature of habit, they just revert you back to certain spaces where your neural paths make sense and operate on that.
Perhaps they’ve been a gun owner in the past. I’m as lefty as they come, and I have owned guns in the past, and plan on having a gun again. There are people who hunt, who live in areas with bear and other dangerous animals, and there are those who have worked in fields where firearms are something you have. I have worked armed security. I enjoy going to gun ranges (though, as a general rule, I no longer do that. Too many dipshit right wing stains on humanity hang out there). I lived in a very rural area until April, and we would often target shoot out in the back yard. Owning a gun in the US is so normalized that if OP is in the US, and anywhere outside of major urban centers (and even then…), it is very possibly a concern that if they are not in their right mind, just popping down the local gun store (and there is almost always at least one local gun store around) or pawn shop, and pick up a 9mm or a .38 special. If I ever got a dementia diagnosis, this would also be a major concern for me. I would give my power of attorney to whoever I trusted most, and make sure the state was alerted that I should not be trusted with a weapon again. I’ve never considered this aspect until now, but OP is exactly right. It’s far too commonplace a thing not to worry that in an episode you won’t just go do that in the States. Our gun culture is absolutely insane.
Also, before the accusations fly:
There have been no children in the home The guns are in lock boxes Ammunition is stored separately I am not a “but the home invasions!” Nutjob
Okay, but again, you’re missing the entire point of the conversation.
This is a person worried about losing their rational mind.
You’re trying to describe rationality.
That’s not how memory loss works. At. All.
You’re making this about YOU, and it has nothing to do with you. Only the person who asked the question.
Firstly, that is how memory loss works. If they’re a person who has a prexisting interest or history in a thing, in a moment of confusion they may well forget that it’s not a good idea for them to go do that thing again.
Secondly, I’m not making it about me. I’m using myself as an example.
Thirdly, there’s no “again” here. This was our first interaction about this.
Finally, the person who asked the question is clearly concerned about this aspect. You making this about YOU and YOUR assumptions on their history, personality, and general ethos does not help a person who is genuinely seeking help. Perhaps try answering their question (“how do I ensure I am on a no-purchase list for firearms?”) instead of attempting to make this more than it is and making this a “the psychology of gun owners” debate?
Oohh, you are saying: if they ever felt like the should own a gun, or if in different circumstances they should own a gun there’s a higher risk of them trying to own one in the future, right?
That makes sense, thanks
Yep. That’s what dementia is like.
OP has been consumed and understands this, and is asking about this because they are wondering if they might fall into a state and end up doing something they would normally not do. It’s a good question to ask.
