Did you know pets are good for your health? According to aplaceformom.com, pets are not only good companions, but they also offer benefits for senior health. From cardiovascular health to mental and emotional well-being, pets can dramatically impact the quality of life.
According to the American Heart Association, having pets is known to help lower blood pressure. AHA found that seniors who own pets have lower blood pressure and experience more minor fluctuations in heart rate than non-pet owners.
A recent study showed that of people aged 40–80 living alone, the risk of death was 33% lower for dog owners than people without dogs.
Having a pet can help improve mobility: regularly walking a dog is associated with lower body mass index and obesity rates, fewer doctor visits and more frequent desires to exercise.
For seniors who have experienced a heart attack, owning a dog or cat has been shown to improve recovery rates.
A study from Loyola University found that seniors in pet therapy during surgery recovery needed significantly less medication for pain than those who did not use pet therapy during recovery.
For seniors living with Alzheimer’s and dementia, depression is a typical result of social seclusion. Animals have been found to help alleviate this loneliness and offer significant mental and emotional support.
