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What Should You Know About Dementia And Gun Ownership In Seniors?

December 2, 2021 0 Comment Category: Care Center

As per the estimates, about half of all seniors in the country have at least one gun in their house. A gun can offer a sense of safety to some seniors and can be a tool for hobbies like recreational shooting and hunting. However, for seniors with dementia disorders, a gun can be a potentially dangerous and lethal weapon. Therefore, it is important to monitor a senior gun owner for dementia symptoms.

Our experts in senior assisted living share the dangers of seniors with dementia owning guns and how to ensure the safety of their families.

What Are The Risks Of Senior Gun Ownership? 

Many seniors in the country, especially those who live alone own a gun for self-protection. However, studies show that seniors with dementia who own guns are much more likely to harm themselves or their loved ones than they are to ward off an intruder. Some of the significant risks of gun ownership in seniors with dementia are:

Accidental Shootings 

Dementia can affect the executive functioning of the person and can suppress short-term memory and impulse control. This can increase the chances of the senior storing the gun in an unsafe location or forgetting how to operate the weapon.

Acts Of Violence 

Dementia disorders can increase the chances of violence in seniors, and this is especially true in the case of seniors with a history of aggression. There are many seniors with dementia who struggle with impulse control issues. Therefore, an act of violence that a senior might have only thought about can start to look like a viable option.

Accidental Injuries 

As per the opinion of experts in senior care, elderly adults with dementia are not much likely to practice safe gun storage. This can increase the chances of children or other vulnerable family members finding the gun and getting injured accidentally.

Brutality Against The Senior 

Unsecured guns can be easily used to injure the senior person who owns them. An attacker might find the unsecured gun and use it to harm the senior.

You may feel it difficult to talk to your senior loved one about giving up their gun. However, you need to understand that the desire of your senior loved one to own guns should not hinder the right of other family members to be safe. The gun ownership laws about people with dementia owning guns vary from state to state, therefore the best option can be to get your senior loved one to give up their guns willingly.