Benefits of pets for older people
Pets may help older people live longer, healthier, and more enjoyable lives.
You’ve probably noticed that when you stroke a cat, or play fetch with a dog whose tail won’t stop wagging, you relax and your heart feels a little warmer
Scientists have noticed the same thing and they’ve started to explore the complex way animals affect human emotions and physiology
The resulting studies have shown that owning and handling animals significantly benefits health and not just for the young
A study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society demonstrated that independently living older people who had pets tended to have better physical health and mental wellbeing than those that did not
They were more active, coped better with stress, and had better overall health, as well as significantly lower blood pressure overall, than their contemporaries without pets
In fact, an experimental residential home for the elderly called the Eden Alternative, which is filled with over 100 birds, dogs, and cats and has an outside environment with rabbits and chickens, has experienced a 15% lower mortality rate than traditional nursing homes over the past five years
Why are pets so good for your ageing parent?
Pets need walking, feeding, watering, grooming and playing with and so, they encourage lots of playing and petting
All of these activities require some action from owners.Even if it’s just getting up to let a dog out a few times a day, or brushing a cat, any activity can benefit the cardiovascular system and help keep joints limber and flexible
Consistently performing this kind of minor exercise can help keep pet owners able to carry out the normal activities of daily living
Pets help the elderly simply by providing physical contact
- Many older people lack physical contact and renewing this through a pet has great benefits
- Studies have shown that when people pet animals, their blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature decrease
Pets are an excellent source of companionship
- They can act as a support system for older people who don’t have any family, or close friends nearby on a daily basis
Pets work as a buffer against social isolation
- Often the elderly have trouble leaving home, so they don’t have a chance to see many people
- Pets give them a chance to go out and to interact. This can help combat depression, one of the most common medical problems facing the elderly
Pets give older people a sense of purpose, a reason to get up in the morning
Pets also help the ageing stick to regular routines, such as regular times to get up in the morning, buying food and going outside, which help motivate them to eat and sleep regularly and well
Choosing the right pet
If you think that your older relative might benefit from having a pet at home, talk to them before you choose one and ideally, choose with them
Make sure that they want the responsibility of a new pet, as well as the noise and the mess that may come along with it
Talk to them about whether they feel capable of feeding, watering, grooming, exercising, and cleaning up after an animal.
Pets in residential homes
Finally, before you encourage an older person to adopt a pet, consider whether you could take care of the animal if its owner is no longer able to do so
Often, if older people reach the point where they have to leave their homes and move into assisted-living facilities, they also have to give up their pets
The number of nursing homes and other types of housing for the elderly that will accept animals is growing, however, yet the vast majority still do not allow pets
You can plan ahead and find a pet-friendly nursing facility, just in case they need to use it someday. They may also want to consider planning for their pet in their estate
Pets and the elderly have a lot to give to each other. Research and experience has shown that animals and older people can share their time and affection, and ultimately, full and happy lives. Though pets cannot replace human relationships for an older person, they can certainly augment them and they can fill an older person’s life with years of constant, unconditional love and affection
