Senior Pets: 4 Reasons Why Seniors Should Have A Pet

Senior Pets: Pets are a wonderful addition to any family.

A big advantage to seniors that age in place is that they can have pets in their own home where they might not be able to have pets in another type of living situation. Pets are fantastic companions that are responsible for some big health benefits. Senior pets provide companionship and can keep seniors engaged with the world.

The number one concern of children who have senior parents who want pets is who will take care of the pet if the senior cannot. Caregivers can be hired who will take care of your senior parent and make sure that the pet is care for also so that you don’t have to worry about that. Your senior parent will be taken care of and so will the pet. If you’re still on the fence about whether or not your senior loved one should get a pet to consider these reasons why seniors and pets just go together:

 

Caregiver in Haverford PA: Pets

 

Pets Make Seniors More Active

Seniors need to stay active, and a dog will provide the motivation for seniors to get up and get moving. Taking the dog for a walk every day as well as taking the dog to the dog park and to another place will be the perfect motivation to get your senior loved one to be more active. Many people wouldn’t exercise on their own but will go for a walk in order to keep their dogs healthy. A dog could be just what your senior parent needs to put them in the right frame of mind to be more active.

 

Pets Will Get Seniors Out Of The House

Just going to the pet store is more fun when your pet comes along. It’s more common for people to bring their dogs on outings but people can also bring cats, birds, and other animals on outings. Going to the pet store, or the park, or just going for a walk in the neighborhood with their pet will give seniors lots of fun outdoor time to get them out of the house and away from the TV.

 

Pets Give Seniors Purpose

One of the best benefits of having a pet is that a pet gives seniors purpose. Everyone needs a reason to get up in the morning and seniors sometimes struggle to find a reason. When their kids are grown and they feel like they have nothing to contribute to the world any more seniors can find their purpose through pets. Training dogs, volunteering at an animal shelter, fostering kittens and mother cats, there are endless ways that seniors can involve pets in their lives.

 

Senior Pets: Pets Provide Major Health Benefits For Seniors

There’s no denying the major health benefits that pet parents receive from their pets. Lower cholesterol, lower risk of heart attack and heart disease, lower risk of stroke, the list of health benefits brought on by pets goes on and on. If you haven’t thought about getting senior pets you should think about it and talk to some caregivers to find out how they can help your parent care for a pet.

 

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring a Caregiver in Haverford, PA, please contact the friendly staff at Suma Home Care. (484) 206-4544

 

Sources:

https://money.usnews.com/

https://www.researchgate.net/

https://aginginplace.org/seniors-and-pets/

Ibrahim & Mariama Suma-Keita