How to discuss firearm safety as older loved ones’ abilities change

(Aging Untold) — Firearms are part of the home for some families. But as parents and grandparents age, changes in vision, memory or mood can affect how safely those firearms are handled and stored. It’s about checking in to make sure the safeguards in place still fit the person today. What to watch forDr. Rhea Rogers, a board-certified physician, said the signals families should watch for go beyond the firearm itself. “You’re looking at the firearms itself, but what about missed medications and balance, and falling and financial judgments being off? These are all signs that maybe cognitively there’s something that has changed,” Rogers said. She added that the stakes are different when a firearm is involved. “It’s just that when you’re dealing with a firearm, that error is irreversible,” Rogers said. It’s about the whole picture, not just the firearm Rogers said families shouldn’t focus only on removing a firearm, but on reading all the signals together. “It’s really not about removing