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Proven Benefits of Owning a Pet: How Pets Improve Senior Health

Written by: Nirali Desai
Read time:
5 min

Overview

There are many benefits of pets for seniors, including increased physical activity, brain stimulation, and reduced health risks. If you or a senior loved one is considering getting a pet, be sure to think about daily habits, environment, and future care needs before deciding.

Key Takeaways

  • Owning a pet offers endless benefits for seniors to reap.
  • Pets can improve physical, cognitive, and overall health.
  • Having a pet helps reduce isolation and improves mental health.
  • Consider your lifestyle and environment to decide if a pet is right for you.

Owning a pet can bring several mental, physical, and therapeutic benefits to seniors and families. Some of the most notable benefits of pets include an increase in physical activity, improved heart health, reduced stress and anxiety, unconditional love and companionship, and improved mood.

Discover how owning a pet can benefit you or a senior loved one in your life with the detailed benefits of pets below and learn if getting a pet is right for you.

Physical and Mental Health Benefits of Pets

There are several benefits of having a pet, including physical and mental health benefits like increased physical activity, brain stimulation, and improved physical health.

Increased Physical Activity

Pets, especially dogs, can help their owners get more physical activity because it’s a necessary part of a dog’s well-being. As a matter of fact, over 60% of dog owners meet the recommended weekly amount of exercise, according to health benefits of pets researched by UC Davis Health.

Brain Stimulation

Owning a pet can promote social interaction and reduce daily stresses, which can improve cognition and enhance brain health for seniors, according to research on pet ownership and cognitive health.

Isolation often contributes to cognitive decline, but many seniors are opposed to the idea of moving in with someone. However, a pet might be an alternative for an aging parent who won’t accept help from suggestions like living together or considering senior living options.

Improved Physical and Heart Health

There are several physical health benefits of owning a pet. For instance, the increased physical activity that comes with pets can help individuals maintain a healthy weight, which can in turn reduce the risk of cancers, improve blood pressure, and lower the risk of heart disease, according to UC Davis Health.

Dogs and cats can specifically benefit seniors because they can help improve overall cardiovascular health by reducing stress and lowering blood pressure. Plus, many studies have found that dog owners live longer and that they have a 31% less chance of dying from a heart attack or stroke, according to science-backed reasons for dog adoption outlined by the American Heart Association.

Emotional and Therapeutic Benefits of Pets

Pets can help brighten our days due to their ability to provide companionship and a sense of purpose. They can also provide therapeutic benefits to help as we age.

Increased Companionship

Pets provide owners with love, care, purpose, and structure, which are all incredibly important in companionship—one of the biggest benefits of pets.

Pets are proven to offer pet owners the following, per UC Davis Health research:

  • A calming presence
  • A sense of purpose
  • Reduced feelings of loneliness
  • Reduced stress and anxiety
  • Unconditional love and support

Increased Sense of Purpose and Routine

The responsibility of owning a pet helps seniors feel a sense of purpose, which can help them maintain a routine. Pets require regular walks, nourishing meals, and engaging playtime, which can help senior pet owners feel accomplished.

Here are some examples of how pets can help humans maintain a routine:

  • Dogs and cats often act as an alarm clock, waking up their owners at the same time every day so they can get attention or be let out.
  • Pet owners must feed their dogs and cats meals twice a day around the same time, which can serve as a reminder to take their medications or stick to their own mealtimes.
  • Dogs often require scheduled walks and cats often like active playtime, which can both help with getting in regular physical activity.

Enhanced Emotional and Mental Health

There are many pros of having a pet, including therapeutic benefits from animal-assisted therapy or pet therapy. Pet therapy uses animals to enhance the physical and mental well-being of individuals and its particularly useful when it comes to recovery and aging.

Some therapeutic benefits of pets may include the following, according to UCLA Health’s animal assisted therapy research:

  • Improved mood due to the release of serotonin that comes with petting an animal
  • Increased comfort and relaxation
  • Decreased physical pain
  • Decreased resistance to therapy

Even if you don’t get a pet for pet therapy, they naturally provide therapeutic benefits. For instance, if you’re feeling agitated, stressed, or anxious, petting an animal can instantly relieve your mood or playing with them can provide a much-needed distraction.

How to Know If Pet Ownership Is Right for You

While there are many pros to having a pet, it’s crucial to reflect on your lifestyle, mobility, resources, and living space before deciding to get a pet.

Some key questions to ask yourself before you consider owning a pet may include:

  • Do you think your current lifestyle (including hobbies, time commitments, etc.) is good for a pet?
  • Will your mobility level and care needs affect your ability to take care of a pet?
  • Are you able to provide a pet what it needs (regular vet check-ups, nourishing meals, walks, grooming, etc.)?
  • Do you think your living space can accommodate a pet’s needs?
  • Is shedding an issue?

While these are some serious things to consider, it doesn’t mean you should rule out a pet. If you or a senior loved one is looking for companionship and your routine can be easily adjusted, there are several senior-friendly cat and dog breeds for older adults.

It might be smarter to adopt an older pet that’s already been trained so you can enjoy the benefits without the struggles that come with an infant pet.

Cats and dogs are often the most common pets seniors get to reap the benefits of pet ownership. They are very emotionally intelligent and there are several options for varying lifestyles. For instance, smaller dog breeds and some cats require less maintenance, physical activity, and playtime, which might be ideal for a senior with less mobility.

However, a slightly more energetic dog breed might be more suitable for a senior who is regularly active.

The Importance of Pets in Senior Living

Many senior living communities recognize the importance of pets, so they often allow seniors to bring along their furry loved ones to stay with them. At Sunrise, we offer pet-friendly senior living options to help our residents continue reaping the benefits of having a pet. Many of our communities are also home to community pets, bringing pet therapy benefits to many residents.

If you’d like to learn more about pet-friendly senior living, reach out to a Sunrise community near you. Our local team members are waiting to answer any questions you may have about pets or senior care.

References

[1] UC Davis Health. (2024, April 11). Health benefits of pets: How your furry friend improves your mental and physical health.

[2] McDonough, I. M., Erwin, H. B., Sin, N. L., & Allen, R. S. (2022, October 20). Pet ownership is associated with greater cognitive and brain health in a cross-sectional sample across the adult lifespan. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience.

[3] American Heart Association. (2024, November 7). 16 science-backed reasons adopting a dog could be good for your heart.

[4] UCLA Health. Animal assisted therapy and what science says.

Article By: Sunrise Senior Living

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