Owning a Pet: Can it Be Beneficial for Your Elderly Loved One?

When you are taking care of your elderly loved one, there are certain things they can do to improve their life. Did you know that pets can have a positive impact on people, especially the elderly? If your elderly loved one own’s a pet, there are many benefits they can reap. Keep reading here to find out more about these benefits.

Less Depression and Negative Emotions

Is your elderly loved one getting depressed at times? Do they seem to have bouts of depression? Maybe they have even been on medications to help with their depression. If this is the case, or if your elderly loved one have lots of other negative emotions, having a pet might help them feel much better. Research shows that pets can help to reduce or even relieve depression. This is often because they give unconditional love and they can make their owner smile. Even petting a dog or a cat can help to relieve stress, as well.

Getting More Physical Activity

Have you or caregivers noticed that your elderly loved one could use some more exercise in their day? Maybe you have had to remind them to get up and move around every day. If you need to call your elderly loved one to tell them to take a walk or encourage them to stop watching television for a bit, getting them a pet might help to make this happen. If your elderly loved one has a dog, for example, they will need to take their dog for walks. They will also need to get up and take their dog outside for him or her to go potty. This requires movement from your elderly loved one.

Added Structures and Routines

If your elderly loved one does have a pet, they are going to need to add more structure and routines to their day. For example, if your elderly loved one has a dog, they need to take the dog outside to go potty and certain times during the day. They will also need to make sure the dog eats at certain times during the day. Due to these things, your elderly loved one will be on more of a schedule and routine, too. If you or caregivers notice that your elderly loved one seems to struggle without routines, having a pet could help them tremendously.

Conclusion

These are some of the benefits that your elderly loved one could get if they own a pet. If your elderly loved one doesn’t have a pet yet, you may want to talk to them about getting one. It is important to note that you should never get your elderly loved one a pet unless they are alright with it.

Sources
https://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/health-benefits/index.html#:~:text=There%20are%20many%20health%20benefits,depression%20by%20giving%20us%20companionship.