The benefits of pets for the elderly have been discussed at great length ever since research on this very important subject began. Pets in most humans have been shown to reduce blood pressure levels, aid in brain development and provide a more positive experience, which normally leads to better experiences overall for pets and the elderly. So how specifically do pets and elderly people get along so well and in which environments?
One way pets and the elderly go together is via pet therapy for the elderly. Some older people who are living in nursing homes and assisted living facilities do not get regular interaction with other folks and usually are left to themselves and their health care helpers. But when pets come in, either through volunteers leading them in or through visits with pet adoption agencies, the people living at these facilities normally report happier times. There is obviously a direct correlation between having a pet and being happy, and this evidence is very strong with elderly folks who either are living alone or who have lost touch with other humans as far as establishing connections goes. This therapy can be emotionally helpful and can result in longer life spans for these seniors.
Another way pets and the elderly go well together is via simply having a pet around the home. Buying or adopting pets for seniors usually proves very successful because the seniors have another living thing to take care of and that living thing provides unconditional love, which helps as people age. Seniors who adopt pets usually report more positive experiences inside the home and usually treat their animals as if they were their own children. This has shown to do wonders for a senior’s self esteem and for her faculties, since there are more things to think about in terms of taking care of another living and breathing thing.
Pets and the elderly go so well together too because of the co dependency that exists. These animals need their senior caregivers, and these seniors need emotional connections with pets too. This mutually beneficial scenario of pets and the elderly occurs just as frequently in nursing and assisted living spots as it does in single family home environments. Therefore, adopting pets for elderly persons usually results in everyone feeling happy about the ending. The elderly person gets a furry friend, the furry friend gets a human companion and the giver of the pet gets the satisfaction to have created a happy existence for a senior.