No matter what side of the gun debate you are on, this is an important topic to discuss especially here in Maine because of people’s avid love of all things outdoors including hunting and target shooting; let alone our constitutional right to bear arms. The best thing to do is talk about firearms before they become an issue. When someone is first diagnosed with dementia, there should be a conversation about gun ownership similar to the conversation many health professionals have about driving and dementia. Framing the issue as a discussion about safety may help make it easier for the person with dementia to acknowledge a potential problem. A conversation about guns can also be part of a larger long-term care planning discussion with an elder law attorney, who can help families write-up a gun agreement that sets forth who will determine when it is time to take the guns away and where the guns should go. Even if the gun owner doesn’t remember the agreement when the time comes to put it to use, having a plan in place can be helpful.
Are Firearms and Dementia a Bad Combination?
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