It is well documented that some seniors and their pets can help one another age gracefully.
In some of the countries in Europe and in the United States, seniors are connected with aging pets and it seems to work wonders not just for their health, but also for their well being. So is it true that seniors need pets? Do they add to their quality of life? The science behind seniors and their pets is at best anecdotal — not the kind of stuff that is tested in labs by the most serious scientists, but one thing that people who care for seniors and the seniors themselves agree on is this: life is definitely better when they have a pet around!
Your Elderly Parent Will Stay Active
From observation, it has become clear that seniors who have pets are happier, more active and they tend to live longer. It appears that pets give seniors something to do and something to look forward to. If your elderly parent knows that she has to wake up at a certain time every morning to feed the dog, they aren’t likely to lie in bed feeling useless. Not only will they feed the dog, but then will have to walk it, care for it and this leads to exercise and activity.
Your Elderly Parent Won’t Be Lonely
The other thing about seniors and their pets is that they work together to eliminate loneliness. Loneliness has been shown to lower the quality of life for people of all ages. A recent study found that even teenagers report strong feelings of loneliness – they say they don’t feel a connection to others or anything else for that matter. If your elderly parent is lonely you can easily help them feel better by getting them a pet. It is a good idea to get them a pet that will make them active. Dogs are a fantastic pet to keep someone active.
Find the Perfect Match
If you are worried about whether they can take care of the pet you should take the right steps to make sure that the home is safe for both your parent and the pet. If, for example, you don’t think your mother can take care of a pup (they do tend to be active) why not get her an aging dog? It will provide her with an excellent company and will not have many physical demands but the demands it will provide our benefits to your parent.
Check In on Them
You should make sure to come by every few days and make sure that they are both okay. When needed get your mom or dad to the vet along with their pet so that all of you can have peace of mind. It will not do them any good to sit around worrying about whether her companion is well or not and all of you will be happy you did.
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