Pet Articles"Seniors and Pets"Seniors are people who have come to the “Golden Years” of their lives. They have finished raising their families. They have worked hard earning a living, and they have proven their usefulness to society. Now is the time for them to relax and enjoy life. They should be in a place where they can reap the benefits of their lifelong pursuits. Sometimes, though, life gets the better of them. Often they feel lonely, bored with life or useless for not being able to do much now. Having a pet can be helpful in reviving their love of life and feelings of usefulness. Many studies have proven that owning a pet can help seniors live more rewarding, enjoyable lives in their retirement years. Scientific studies have shown that animals have a definite affect on human emotions and physiology that significantly benefit health. These studies have demonstrated over and over again that seniors who have pets are typically in better physical health and have a better sense of mental well-being. Seniors with pets tend to be more active and are better able to cope better with everyday stress. A study done in 1997 showed that elderly pet owners even had significantly lower blood pressure than those without pets. It is easy to understand the health benefits to seniors with pets. Pets provide them with something to do in their daily tasks and they have something to love and care for as well. Senior pet owners need to undergo a certain amount of activity when they have to walk, groom and provide for their pets. There is physical activity involved in taking care of a pet—even if they just have to get up to let the dog go outside. This can be a benefit for the senior’s cardiovascular system. It is well known that activity also contributes to keeping joints limber and flexible, thereby helping with movement and possible arthritis pain. Seniors often hug and cuddle with their pets. This interaction can help reduce blood pressure and steady their heart rate, thereby contributing to a healthier heart. This simple, shared cuddling can also produce an increased state of relaxation providing an anti-hypertensive effect. Seniors who have pets also have the advantage of not being so lonely. Many seniors have experienced the loss of a spouse or another loved one. Having a pet can help them deal with the emotions they may struggle with after such a loss. The pet can actually be a support system for them. And, pets can also help seniors direct their love to a new object for their affections. Many seniors also experience social isolation. Having a pet can force these seniors into interacting with another living being. This helps them to stave off depression. And, pets help seniors who may be living alone keep their mind off their own problems. The care and love they give to their pet gives them something else to focus on. Pets can also encourage seniors to have a purpose in life again. For some seniors, it may seem that their life and usefulness has passed. Having a pet offers them a job that must be done in the care of that pet. They need to go out to get food for the pet, or do other chores relating to the pet’s care, such as cleaning the cat’s litter box. It also helps to keep seniors in regular routine—they need to feed their pet at a certain time each day. The daily care of their pet also can provide them with a sense of self-worth—they are indeed doing something of value in the care of their beloved pet. Many seniors may also feel anxious in having to live alone. Having a pet can relieve some of this anxiety. For instance, if they hear a noise, it could be attributed to the cat and not to some possible prowler. And, owning a dog could provide a certain amount of safety. Often just a dog barking can help keep unwanted visitors away. This can help increase the senior’s independence in being able to live on their own. Owning a pet can also add some joy and laughter into what may seem an otherwise dull, pointless and unhappy life. Animals in general always provide entertainment value. Let’s face it, they do the ‘darndest things’ sometimes and can be very amusing. This can add to a senior’s enjoyment and improve their moral. After all, isn’t laughter supposed to be the best medicine? The love that seniors share with their pets, the laughter, a decreased sense of loneliness and depression, all add up to an added purpose in life. As well, pets provide increased physical activity in seniors, which all can be beneficial to a senior’s health. Whether it is a bundle of fur or a feathered friend, pets can definitely be considered a very good thing to help senior’s live their lives to the fullest.
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