New Gun For Arthritic Seniors Could Be Subsidized By Medicare

[kpete]

New gun for seniors could be subsidized by Medicare
John Byrne
Published: Monday December 8, 2008

A New Jersey company says they have gotten federal approval to market a gun to the elderly and hopes to have it subsized by Medicare.

Constitution Arms says its Palm Pistol will aid seniors with arthritis who would otherwise have trouble pulling the trigger. The device allows individuals to shoot by squeezing with their thumb.

The company's president Matthew Carmel says its "something that they need to assist them in daily living," and has applied to have the gun approved as a Class 1 medical device, the same designation given by Medicare to walkers and wheelchairs.

Palm Pistol retails for $460.

more at:
http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Company_hopes_to_gun_for_seniors_1208.html
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16207-gun-for-the-disabled-classed-as-medical-device.html

edited to add pic:

[hedgehog]

1. I'd say you kids BETTER get off that guy's lawn!

[Donnachaidh]

2. this is obscene -- how EXACTLY is this going to help seniors health?

The company's president deserves a boot upside his head for even considering trying to get Medicare to fund this nonsense.

[babylonsister]

3. You just can't make this shit up. nt

[Idealism]

4. If an arthritic senior can use it, so can a 2-year old n/t

[eShirl]

5. since when is shooting a gun an activity of daily living?

[derby378]

6. It looks like a freakin' toy

I can't see anyone trusting this little thing to save their life. Come on.

[classof56]

7. So to activities of daily living...

Light housework, preparing meals, taking medications, shopping for groceries or clothes. dressing oneself, showering or bathing, managing money, etc., we now add ability to shoot anyone who ticks us oldies off?

Geez...kinda glad my late mom's no longer in assisted living. There were occasional...uh...conflicts of interest among her fellow residents not to mention staff from time to time. If only she'd had a Palm Pistol, her life would have been so much better, not to mention more interesting!

I'll keep this in mind against the day my kids ship me off to the "home". Nice to know it'll be covered by Medicare.


:sarcasm:

[navarth]

8. all of the problems in the world, and some asshole designs shit like this

nice place to put the ingenuity and energy

[Frustratedlady]

9. It's one way to solve the Medicare patient list...

Uncle Rob has Alzheimer's. Give him a palm pistol and he looks at it to see what it is and how it works. Well, so much for Uncle Rob.

What about the patient who is depressed and wants to end it all? Palm Pistol to the rescue. One more off the rolls.

I've heard of idiotic inventions, but this is insane.

I thought it was an inhaler or diabetes tester for those who don't want to prick themselves.

[peace13]

10. I thought it was an inhaler as well.

Yes, this will cull the herd. It will also knock off a few caregivers along the way. We can only hope they are low income with some type of infirmary as well. Two for one! Peace, Kim

[aikoaiko]

11. I'm really impressed with the manufacturers ability to get free advertising

The news release of this device went around the gun world a while ago (at least a few months), and most of my gun owning friends agreed that a small .380 or .9mm semi-auto pistol that holds several rounds is not much bigger. In other words it looked like a solution in need of problem.

And there ya go, they found a problem to solve, a population to market to, and even a means to subsidize the cost.

Fucking brilliant.

Some of you asked what this gun could have to do with an elderly persons health, well, if it lives up to their claims, it could save their life in a self-defense situation.

[marlakay]

12. Mixed with viagra

my husband says the old guys have a way to force the old ladies to have sex with them!

I know he is warped...and nothing surprises me. They will probably sell millions of them.

[asjr]

13. I thought this would be about

a new arthritis drug. Dumb me.

[librechik]

14. I know! cuz with my arthritis, it is SO HARD to cock my Glock

if you know what I mean.