Photo by Sven Lachmann
“The whole glorious history of animals with people is about joy and connection. It’s about loving this creature and letting this creature love you.” – Jon Katz
Unconditional love. No one can give you unconditional love the way a pet can. We all need that, and no one more than seniors. Too often, it’s seniors who live alone because that is just the nature of getting older. But is it?
Friends and even family can leave, move away, become too busy with the business of life to spend a lot of time with their senior loved ones. Pets, on the other hand, are never too busy for us, never relocate for business, and never just decide it’s time to move on. Pets are with us for the whole of their lives. Your pet is always happy to be with you, no matter what you look like, the mood you’re in, or if you’re not feeling well, they’re just happy to be near you with a wagging tail or a soft purr.
All Pets Are Therapy Pets—Some Just Freelance
One of the greatest joys for us as seniors is to share our lives with another living being. They bring laughter and love to our days and remind us of the beauty and awe of the natural world. And there is science to back that up. Studies have shown that pets have a positive effect on our mental health.
Pets can help reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation and provide emotional support and comfort. Just interacting with our pets releases endorphins and other mood-boosting chemicals in our brains. Those hormones actually help reduce stress and anxiety.
Your Personal Trainer Chases Squirrels and Walks You Twice a Day
Walking is essential to maintaining good health. It increases cardiovascular fitness while reducing our odds of chronic illnesses like obesity, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol levels, and poor circulation. And that’s another reason having a pet is good for you-they keep you healthy!
People who have dogs walk an average of 22 minutes more per day than people who don’t have a dog. Rain or shine, there are no excuses; you have to go out with your dog making them the best personal trainer you can have.
Money Can’t Buy You Love—Unless You Buy a Pet
Your pet does all these amazing things for you. Caring for them well is your chance to give a little back.
The pet food you feed them is one of the biggest factors in deciding their health and longevity. Consider feeding them air-dried food as opposed to traditional wet pet food. Air-dried food is cooked and slowly dried to maintain maxim nutrients and flavor. It’s also lower in carbs and made with more meat, packing it with protein. Go here to find air-dried food for your pet.
Look into pet insurance, too. That way, when an emergency arises, you won’t have to worry if you have the funds for their medical care. Do an online search for quotes to find the best price and policy for your needs.
Having a pet means having love for you and for them. Let them walk you to keep you healthy, and feed them well to keep them healthy. Your life with your pet is the most beautiful of symbiotic relationships.
Author: Hazel Bridges
Ms. Bridges is the creator of AgingWellness.org, a website that aims to provide health and wellness resources for aging seniors. She’s a breast cancer survivor. She challenges herself to live life to the fullest and inspire others to do so as well.
