“No outfit is complete without a little cat hair.” “Dogs aren’t our whole lives, but they make our lives whole.” I could go on and on with famous quotes about our furry friends, there’s no shortage of love and you can’t go more than a few minutes on the internet without running into a cute puppy video or a cat in a peculiar pose. We’re not complaining. Heck, this is a post about pets after all.
No one would argue that having a pet adds joy to any household. Pets give unconditional love (even if our cats don’t always show it) and the silly things they do make us laugh just when we need it. A pet can be the perfect companion, especially for seniors living their golden years.
Here is a list of reasons why seniors should have a pet (not that you really need another reason):
- Improved Health
- Many studies have shown that owning a pet‚ and specifically‚ the act of petting a cat or dog on a regular basis‚ lowers blood pressure. In a 2001 study of individuals with high blood pressure, half of the participants received a dog or cat, the other half of the group didn’t. As you guessed, the group with a pet had significantly lower blood pressure after 6 months. Another study showed that patients recovering from joint-replacement surgery required 28% less pain medication if they saw a therapy dog daily.
- Lower Depression
- Pets keep seniors company‚ fighting loneliness and depression. Talking to pets can cheer you up‚ or they’ll do something so laughable just when you needed to smile. They love you unconditionally and seem to have a sixth sense of when you’re down.
- Increased Social Interactions
- Having a pet is a great topic of conversation. Pet lovers love nothing more than talking about their furry friend. At the dog park, dogs run around and play with one another, almost forcing their owners to make new friends. It’s also been found that seniors with pets are more involved in their community‚ smile and talk more.
- Responsibility and Routine
- As people age they generally shed certain social roles. For instance, once you retire or your children leave home, going to work and child rearing are no longer part of your identity. Humans seem to have an undying need for a purpose and taking care of a pet is a great one. Elderly persons with pets feel needed by their furry friends‚ and will more often stick to a regular routine themselves out of a sense of responsibility to their pets.
- Exercise
- Interacting and playing with your cat or dog adds that little bit of extra physical activity our bodies desire. Dogs need to be walked daily‚ giving seniors a good reason to get out for a stroll. Even the necessary bending down to feed and clean up after any pet is good to keep the joints moving. A study of 2,000 adults discovered that adults who regularly walked their dog had a significantly lower chance of obesity compared to adults without a dog.
- Security
- Because of their heightened sense of hearing and smell‚ animals are more alert than humans and are quick to indicate when someone is just outside. Sometimes that’s a bark‚ or running to the door‚ sometimes that’s just them lifting their head and looking in the direction of the noise. This can be a great indicator for elderly individuals who may have lost some of their hearing.
- Happiness
- There is no doubt elderly pet owners are happier overall than those without a four-legged companion. Cats and dogs are entertaining, loving, and often hilarious. Pets give seniors a sense of purpose and provide nonjudgmental acceptance. Also‚ when seniors adopt older pets that need a home‚ they are providing a loving home for a dog or cat also looking to enjoy their golden years. That’s a win-win.
On your left is a snapshot of our little one having a nap (she’s 11 and her name is Pumpkin), and on your right, we have our Accessibility Professional’s kitty mascot Tartan:
Thanks again for reading! Do you have a furry friend? We’d love to see a picture and know their name. Please comment below, we’d love to hear from you.
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