I'm no geriatric expert but let me first say that, my Dad lived to be 89 years old. In his later years he was taking quite a few meds, had some level of dementia, apparently had dreams so vivid he'd argue that they really happened. Earlier on, as his mental stability began to falter we were afraid he'd get confused, get a weapon and hurt someone or himself, so we moved them out of his range of travel in his house.
On to my story. An elderly cousin of mine, that lives alone told me this story as it happened to himself.
This cousin is in his late 70's, sharp as a tack, seems to be in very good mental and physical shape for his age. No drug/alcohol problem or background. Just a good guy, one you'd easily trust and a man of his word type of guy.
He told me he sleeps with his revolver nearby, and one night he had a dream that a gang of people were going around breaking into houses. In his dream they came to his house and he fired at them. The next morning he got up, instantly remembering the vivid dream and thinking how real it was. He started to leave his house then went back, opened the cylinder to his revolver and there was one empty cartridge case !!!!! He actually fired his gun in his sleep, shot through his bed and through the wooden floor. THE GUNFIRE NEVER WOKE HIM UP.
I admit this is hard for me to believe, but he is a trustworthy guy, and I believe his story. He has the bullet holes in his bed to prove it, and he told me he has very vivid dreams. It made me think of my Dad, and I knew we made a good decision at the right time.
This is SCARY, he was scared too. I suggested he get himself a bedside lockbox, maybe he'd fully wake up while trying to input the combination the next time he has some dream.
I guess one reason I'm posting this story, because some of you may have elderly relatives and this issue could happen to them at some point in their lives.
On to my story. An elderly cousin of mine, that lives alone told me this story as it happened to himself.
This cousin is in his late 70's, sharp as a tack, seems to be in very good mental and physical shape for his age. No drug/alcohol problem or background. Just a good guy, one you'd easily trust and a man of his word type of guy.
He told me he sleeps with his revolver nearby, and one night he had a dream that a gang of people were going around breaking into houses. In his dream they came to his house and he fired at them. The next morning he got up, instantly remembering the vivid dream and thinking how real it was. He started to leave his house then went back, opened the cylinder to his revolver and there was one empty cartridge case !!!!! He actually fired his gun in his sleep, shot through his bed and through the wooden floor. THE GUNFIRE NEVER WOKE HIM UP.
I admit this is hard for me to believe, but he is a trustworthy guy, and I believe his story. He has the bullet holes in his bed to prove it, and he told me he has very vivid dreams. It made me think of my Dad, and I knew we made a good decision at the right time.
This is SCARY, he was scared too. I suggested he get himself a bedside lockbox, maybe he'd fully wake up while trying to input the combination the next time he has some dream.
I guess one reason I'm posting this story, because some of you may have elderly relatives and this issue could happen to them at some point in their lives.