He Had Alzheimer's

nunn

And he also had a number of guns, not a good combination.

His wife called for assistance, and I went. She had already unloaded all the modern guns, and had removed all the ammunition from the house. All that was left was a replica Remington cap & ball revolver, and it was loaded.

I suggested just removing the percussion caps, but she wanted it empty. Not having a ball puller handy, I told her the only way to unload it is to shoot it.

I took the gun to the range and fired it into the berm. After my shift ended, I took it home and cleaned it, the old fashioned way, with hot soapy water and a boiling water rinse. Then, I re-lubed it and returned it to the lady the next day.

guntech59

Old memories? Or more recent?

nunn

Long ago.

guntech59

Just doing some pre-retirement reminiscing?

nmyers

My experience is anecdotal, but I have never had an Alzheimer's customer who owned guns actually fire one, or even threaten someone with one. Seems the mental gymnastics are too complex for them to comprehend once they get pass the "mild" stage.

I wish I had more data to either reinforce that, or show that I am mistaken.

Neal

nunn

Just the same, I don't think I would sleep well in a home with loaded guns and a person suffering from any sort of dementia or mental illness.

NeoBlackdog

Around 15 years ago there was an elderly gentleman with Alzheimer's that thought his wife of 50+ years was an intruder. He stabbed her to death with a kitchen knife. Very sad deal.

select-fire

Removed the shotgun from a dementia neighbor from a rental property. He was outside on the porch , pointing it and looking down the barrel. Gun was loaded and it is a miracle it didn't go off. Gave it to his son.

allen griggs

Good man, nunn! Without cleaning, as you know, the gun would have been ruined in a week. Not many people would have taken the time to clean it.

11b6r

I know an old time gunsmith. Now and again, a family member brings him Dad's gun, because Dad is no longer connected to reality. He pulls the firing pin, bags and labels it, tells them to bring it back when they want it restored.

No charge.

He Dog

discussions of dementia aside, that was pretty stellar public service David. I'll wager you will make a great constable.

pwillie

...a friends father(dementia)got up dressed,wallked into a wooded area next to his home..and "Kapow"...right in the temple with a 12 ga........never new it would happen...sad way to end it,but,whats the alternative?

retroxler58

quote:Originally posted by He Dog
discussions of dementia aside, that was pretty stellar public service David. I'll wager you will make a great constable.
David... I thought you were retiring from public service?
Gonna seek election as constable now ??

He Dog

he said he might run if he is unapposed. I kinda think they would be better off with him. I will contribute to the campaign again. [:)]

COLT

...Well Hell Yeah (!) Dale...Nunn will make a GREAT Constable!!!

Im voting for him as many times as I can!...[^]

Double Congrats on that retirement David!!!!

If Rena is off that day...we'll see you then...[:)]

Pearyw

Several years ago, my father-in-law was living with a housekeeper after my mother-in-law died. My wife got worried that he always slept with a S&W 38 special. She could not get it away from him. I took the ammo out of it and replaced with some identical reloads that I filled with kitty litter. He never tried to shoot anyone and never knew I had done that. He died several years later.

FWAddit

I met my aunt's second husband at a family reunion after they had been married maybe two, three years. She had warned us he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, and was despondent about it. Sure enough when he shook my hand he said, "No use telling me your name. Ten minutes later I won't remember it."

A couple of months later he told my aunt, "We need a gun." She told him no they didn't, but somehow he got a .22 rifle anyway. He committed suicide with it.

allen griggs

...a friends father(dementia)got up dressed,wallked into a wooded area next to his home..and "Kapow"...right in the temple with a 12 ga........never new it would happen...sad way to end it,but,whats the alternative?


I saw this type of thing many times when I was a paramedic. Grim.
But, what are you going to do?
I tell you, when you work a call like this, it makes a guy ask himself, "What would I do if I were diagnosed with Alzheimers?" Your life will deteriorate, day by day, for years. You will waste away until you have about the IQ of a box full of rocks. Then you will die.

I admired these guys who decided to just end it all. The sand was running out of their hour glass, and if they didn't kill themselves soon, they would be unable to do it.

owen219

Nunn, we need a range report on that pistol. Ha Ha. You are my kind of cop and real man. May God bless you and yours!

tneff1969

My grandfather lost his battle with the disease, it is beyond sad to see what it can turn a man into. The last year of his life, was crap books are wrote from. The stupidest, involved the Pasadena police department. They came out because he was acting "strange", according to a neighbor. I would guess, a grown man playing in a sandbox would justify that. They "confiscated" his Daisy BB gun, out of fear he may hurt someone. My grandmother mainly, even though there had not been any signs. After they left, of which I questioned why they were in the house. I promptly removed the "real" guns these idiots walked past and never saw. We never got his BB gun back, and sadly the disease destroyed one of the greatest men I ever looked up to.

* I refer to the PPD officers that day as idiots, due to the fact they had no clue what they were dealing with. Were more worried with finger screwing my grandfathers belongings, and telling my grandmother what they "could" do if they saw fit. Than trying to help a man that was in obvious need of help, and not trying to hurt someone.

footlong

A friend of mine over near Wills Point, Tx is a constable.. He and his wife own Wileys Gun Shop there ... Nice folks