|
Pets and Seniors - A Winning Combination
By: Beconrad
Pet owners have long known about the many health benefits that can come from sharing their lives with a furry creature of two, but modern medical science has been slower to catch on to these benefits. Science is catching up, however, and many recent studies have pointed to a plethora of healthy benefits that pet owners enjoy. From lower stress levels to a more positive outlook on life, those who share their love with a cat, dog or other creature consistently score better than their non pet owning peers.
While the benefits of pet ownership cut across the entire spectrum of the population, these benefits may be even more pronounced and more important when applied to the senior population. Many of today’s seniors lack the social structures and extended families that were common in previous generations, and for many of these seniors a pet can be a godsend. Simply having another creature to share one’s life with can be vitally important to a senior’s mental and physical well being, and of course the pets benefit as well.
The combination of senior citizens and homeless pets is one of those rare win-win situations. The senior citizens get the love and companionship of a devoted pet, and the pet gets a new home and a new chance life in a loving home. The benefits of pet ownership for older people is so widely recognized that many shelters and animal rescue organizations hold special senior adoption events. During these events senior citizens are encouraged to take a new friend into their life, much to the delight of human and animal alike.
Of course it is important that the match be made with the needs of both parties in mind. Anyone adopting a new pet should be sure that the energy level, care needs and other important aspects will be a good match. Older people often find that they do better with an older, more settled dog or cat than with a high-energy puppy or kitten. Older pets make wonderful companions, and most shelter dogs and cats will readily bond with their new owner.
So if you are a senior in search of a new companion, or the family member of such a senior, do not overlook the many mental and physical health benefits that a new furry friend can provide. There are many reasons to own a pet, and better health is just icing on the cake.
-Back to Top
The views and opinions of articles contained on this site are those of the individual authors and do not necessary reflect those of AboutBeverlyHills.com
Interested in Moving to or from Beverly Hills?
If so, make sure to check out the Real Estate section.
- Back to Top |
