Pets serve as a source of love and happiness for anyone — but this is especially true for seniors. Pets help promote the mental and physical well-being of the seniors who interact with them.
Among other benefits, pet ownership can decrease stress hormones like cortisol and increase the presence of feel-good chemicals like serotonin and dopamine. Having the daily company of a pet makes the lives of seniors much happier and fulfilling.
Pet ownership also reduces instances of anxiety and depression. Some studies show there’s even a positive relationship between physical activity and dog ownership, specifically, when it comes to seniors and pets.
But pet ownership isn’t necessarily a requirement in order to garner many of these benefits—even just the soft touch of petting an animal can bring about positive feelings in many seniors.
With all these many benefits, you might wonder: what’s the catch? If they’re so good for you, why don’t all seniors interact with pets on a regular basis? In truth, there are certainly some downsides to seniors and pets that are worth considering as well.
The pros of pets for seniors
They offer regular socialization
Pets are a great way for seniors to prevent feeling socially isolated, which can lead to feelings of depression and anxiety. Whether they are without a partner, unable to see friends, have difficulty traveling, or are simply distant from family members or friends, having a pet can give them that sense of closeness they are searching for.
Having a pet brings about a slew of other scenarios in which seniors have the opportunity to socialize. Walking a dog, for instance, encourages interactions as people tend to gravitate toward pet owners. There are also many places where pet owners congregate, such as pet stores, dog parks, and nature trails. If seniors have family, such as grandchildren, it gives people a reason to visit, facilitating socialization.
They fulfill a caregiving role
Having a pet helps seniors engage in past roles that are no longer present in their lives. They can reinforce caregiving skills and have a sense of purpose, even if their children and grandchildren are already grown up.
They encourage a regular routine
Serving and caring for a pet can boost their mental well-being and provide more structure and routine in their day. Many pets require feeding, bathing, or playtime on a regular basis, which helps create a daily rhythm.
They improve neurological health
The touch and feel of petting animals releases feel-good chemicals like serotonin and dopamine in the brain. This increases happiness and reduces stress, and can even reduce some cardiovascular risk factors in seniors.
In general, sensory stimulation is especially beneficial for seniors because it helps nourish the brain. Sensory stimuli such as touch, sight, and sound are processed in the limbic system of the brain where two integral organs live: the amygdala and the hippocampus, responsible for processing emotions and storing new memories, respectively.
The positive sensory stimuli that result from interactions with animals lead to positive emotions and, as a result, motivate positive behaviors. Pets can bring joy, especially for the older population, who may benefit from these experiences more than most.
The cons of pets for seniors
They're expensive
Being a pet owner is expensive. seniors may already be concerned about how they will pay for medications and doctor’s appointments, making it essential to ensure they have the disposable income to cover daily necessities or emergency veterinary visits.
They might not live that long
Whenever someone has an animal, there’s always the risk of the animal dying. Seniors are often advised to choose adult-aged pets instead of babies or pups, which increases the likelihood of facing the pet’s death. This might trigger feelings of sadness and depression—the opposite of the intended purpose.
Even in the worst-case scenario, there can be comfort in knowing they cared for an animal at the end of its life. This might even help them feel more at peace with their own mortality.
They require more care than some seniors can give
Seniors experience varying levels of physical and mental capabilities, making it possible that some cannot care for a pet on their own. Regular hospital visits, disabilities, or mobility issues might prevent some seniors from being full-time caregivers for an animal.
There are other ways seniors can interact with animals, such as programs like pet therapy, volunteer opportunities, and the like.
How seniors can interact with pets
With your friends, family, and community
If seniors have family members with pets, they can bring the animals over to the home of the senior (or vice versa) so that they have the time to interact with the animal. This allows the senior to reap the benefits of the pet-to-owner stimuli without necessitating all the responsibilities partnered with having a pet in their individual care.
seniors can also ask their neighbors or other community members if they can care for their pets a couple of days per week, or if they can be a designated person to care for them while the neighbors are away. This can help give them a sense of purpose and a reason to get out of the house, but again, it’s not the full-time responsibility of owning the pet themselves.
Training service dogs
Certified pet therapy dogs undergo intensive training. They are not aggressive or startled by loud noises, and there are service dogs taught to help seniors be more independent and more navigable for the senior. Their abilities include: turning off/on lights, pressing door open buttons at wheelchair accessible doors, retrieving items the person can’t reach, and aiding in emergencies. The extensive training that service dogs go through to be self-sufficient and helpful is the best option for many seniors for pet ownership.
At pet therapy
You can find pet therapy services all over the country that arrange to have pets visit you at home, at assisted living facility, or at your hospital bed. Alliance of Therapy Dogs and Therapy Dogs International are volunteer-run organizations with outposts all over the world.
Here’s how it works: A local volunteer will come to your home and bring a trained animal that is well-behaved and can cuddle, and perform commands during a session with an senior. These sessions usually involve dogs, but there are other popular forms of animal-assisted wellness such as equine therapy, which is when humans work with horses to improve their mental health.
Volunteering at an animal shelter
Finally, there are animal shelters where seniors can offer up their time and resources. Volunteering at a pet shelter is integral for the older population because it gets them out of the house, around animals, and involved in their communities. Seniors can check out shelters in their local area to find volunteer opportunities, and may even want to consider fostering animals on a day-to-day basis before they go to their forever homes.
What's best for you?
Owning a pet while aging in place is not for everyone, but it can bring a lot of happiness and love into a person’s life. Increased involvement with pets and animals can have life-changing effects for the better.
