For seniors, adopting an animal can be extremely beneficial for both your mental and physical health. Read the following information about pet care assistance for senior citizens and learn how and why you should look into adopting an animal!
Helpful Information for Adopting a Pet
The benefits of pet care assistance for senior citizens:
The biggest benefit of owning a pet is stress reduction. There are even recent studies that prove animals help lower your blood pressure! Other health benefits of pet care assistance for seniors include lower levels of anxiety, higher levels of physical activity, and a higher level of social interaction. Because animals need exercise and are usually playful and active, you will find yourself being more active too! Seniors have more time to devote to their pets than younger owners. This leads to the formation of a strong relationship with your pet. Animals provide a level of companionship that will help your mental and emotional health. You will enjoy each day a little more!
The difference between a service animal, an emotional support animal, and a pet:
You may be thinking that you want a service animal or an emotional support animal, but you might not need either! Service animals are trained to do specific tasks for their owners that the owners cannot do themselves. This may include helping with mobility, opening doors, or even monitoring their owners’ illnesses. To attain a service animal, you need to be diagnosed with a disability. You also need to express exactly what assistance you need from the animal.
Though service animals do offer a level of emotional support, emotional support animals are very different. Emotional support animals provide a level of therapy for their owners that helps lower anxiety, depression, or other mental conditions. Like service animals, you can only obtain an emotional support animal if you have a medical diagnosis. Service animals and emotional support animals do not have the same clearances. Both public and private spaces in the U.S. allow service animals. However, not as many places allow for emotional support animals.
Even if you are not diagnosed with a medical condition, you can still find the animal that’s just right for you. Non-service or emotional support pets offer great health benefits! They can help cure loneliness and boost your self-esteem. Regular pets can be therapeutic, helpful, and a joy to have.
Resources to help care for your animal:
Many seniors with animals struggle financially or are unable to get supplies for their pets. There are many resources available to help with pet care assistance for senior citizens that will lessen your financial and physical responsibility. Meals on Wheels, an organization that delivers meals to senior citizens, often has a service (depending on the county) that will deliver food for your pet. There are also several different organizations that will help cover the cost of your pet’s medicine. Programs like Serving Seniors’ “Pet Pals” provide benefits to dedicated and loving senior pet-owners. Whatever your financial situation, there are many resources for you to make sure you can care for your pet properly without causing stress.
The many benefits of pet ownership for senior citizens are useful and important. Now that you have proper information about why you should adopt a pet, you can browse our assisted living facilities to find a perfect home for you and your companion! Please pose any questions or thoughts in the comments below!
August 26, 2019
I love pets.