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SITUATIONS

Making a plan about what to do about firearms in your home can be difficult. These questions can help make these decisions easier. Think about your current situation and how these questions impact your life. Afterwards, we’ll discuss some common solutions that may be applicable for you and your lifestyle.

 
1. Think about the firearms in the home where the person with dementia lives
- who owns them?

Why This Matters
Legal options to sell or transfer a firearm may vary depending on who owns the firearms. Think about all of the firearms that may be in your home and who has legal ownership of them before taking any further steps.
 
2. Do you feel comfortable having the firearms in the home right now?

Why This Matters
If you feel like access to firearms poses an immediate or potential risk of harm, you need to take steps right now. Safety should be your number one priority.
 
3. Do you feel you are able to safely handle the firearms?

Why This Matters
If you don't feel comfortable handling the firearms, ask someone you can trust, a local gun shop, or law enforcement for help.
 
4. Long-term, do you prefer to keep these guns in your family?

Why This Matters
It's a good idea to consider whether, in the future, you'll want to keep the firearms or perhaps sell them/give them away. Even if you do want to keep the firearms long-term, temporarily moving them outside of the home while you think about longer solutions can be beneficial.
 
 
5. Short-term, do you still want to have a firearm in the home with the person with dementia?

Why This Matters
If you want to have a firearm at home, it should be stored securely so that the person with dementia can't access it. This means locking the firearm and the ammuniation in separate, secured locations.
 
6. Do you think the person with dementia will be upset if they cannot access the firearms?

Why This Matters
Some people can be anxious or upset if they cannot access their firearms. There are a number of safety devices and strategies that you could use in order to keep the firearm nearby in order to avoid upsetting them, but still safe and inoperable.
Now that we've thought a bit about your Situation, let's turn to some possible Solutions: