As a pet lover, what a joy it has always been for me to have pets involved in my professional long term care career. I honestly cannot imagine directing a facility that was anything but pet friendly, and this isn't just because I personally love animals. It is also because seniors involved with pets reap many rewards. With vaccinated, healthy, well- behaved animals being welcome to visit and/or reside in a long term care environment, one can't help but notice the inevitable benefits that pets bring to seniors. In fact, recent studies show that seniors who own pets go to the doctor less, experience reduced blood pressure and cholesterol, reduced risk of heart disease as well as greater heart disease survival rates. Other studies associate pet ownership with seniors who smile more, talk more, are more attentive and show overall, more feelings of well-being. My first hand experiences certainly support the research – that pets and seniors are a positive combination. The most obvious benefit to having pets in a long term care environment is that pets bring joy to the residents and lift their spirits. Seniors show an increased interest in life when they have a pet. This is possibly due to the responsibility and sense of purpose associated with pet ownership. One resident pet owner at Morningside of Gallatin states, It gives me something to do – to get out and walk my dog. It takes my mind off of whatever else it is on. We have found that having something to look after helps provide a meaningful distraction.
Seniors are Blessed by Pets
Published by Wonder Laboratories on Jul 28th 2015
As a pet lover, what a joy it has always been for me to have pets involved in my professional long term care career. I honestly cannot imagine directing a facility that was anything but pet friendly, and this isn't just because I personally love animals. It is also because seniors involved with pets reap many rewards. With vaccinated, healthy, well- behaved animals being welcome to visit and/or reside in a long term care environment, one can't help but notice the inevitable benefits that pets bring to seniors. In fact, recent studies show that seniors who own pets go to the doctor less, experience reduced blood pressure and cholesterol, reduced risk of heart disease as well as greater heart disease survival rates. Other studies associate pet ownership with seniors who smile more, talk more, are more attentive and show overall, more feelings of well-being. My first hand experiences certainly support the research – that pets and seniors are a positive combination. The most obvious benefit to having pets in a long term care environment is that pets bring joy to the residents and lift their spirits. Seniors show an increased interest in life when they have a pet. This is possibly due to the responsibility and sense of purpose associated with pet ownership. One resident pet owner at Morningside of Gallatin states, It gives me something to do – to get out and walk my dog. It takes my mind off of whatever else it is on. We have found that having something to look after helps provide a meaningful distraction.