Is age an obstacle to make a pet? This question is probably asking many more than one pensioner. Although a dog or a cat will not replace a spouse or children, it can check that the life of a person in their sixties will shine again.

Hug the dog to your heart, take the cat on your lap - these words of Jan Kaczmarek from Kabaret Elita are relevant especially for people of mature age. It is not without reason that it is said that a dog (and sometimes also a cat, hamster, guinea pig or canary) can be a man's best friend - especially one who, apart from the pet, has almost no one in the world.

But the animal can also make the moments more pleasant for people who, despite their mature age, are still professionally active and live in happy relationships. Before you get yourself - or your mom or dad - a four-legged friend - it's worth getting to know the advantages and disadvantages of having a pet by the elderly.

A dog or a cat reduces the feeling of loneliness

Even if the family has many generations and there is always someone at home, seniors often feel lonely, pushed aside - the household members rarely find time to talk to their grandmother or grandfather. Then it is good to be able to speak to even a dog, which will not respond, but will show his feelings with spontaneous wagging.

Research shows that contact with a pet reduces the feeling of loneliness and isolation among everyone, not only seniors - but it is especially important for them, because it improves their well-being and reduces stress levels.

Stroking your pet, talking to him or hugging him causes the body to release endorphins, which has a very positive effect on the well-being.

For single people, dogs are especially recommended, as they facilitate making new friends with other owners of pets during walks. For seniors who are in a poor mental state, cats are recommended.

Abroad, and more and more often in our country, the so-called felinotherapy is popular, i.e. a method of therapy that improves the mental state through contact with the cat - it consists in stroking the cat, hugging it, playing and caring for it - which allows you to forget about your own problems and focus on the relationship with your pet.

A senior who has a pet should also have a person to look after the pet in case of emergencyunexpected illness or the need to go to a sanatorium, for example.

Having pets prompts you to be more active

Seniors who have pets are he althier and live longer are also happier. The explanation of this state of affairs is simple: these are the effects of everyday activity, forced by the need to care for the animal.

Activities such as walking the dog or changing the litter in the cat litter box mean that an elderly person has to move, and movement has a great impact on he alth. They also give a sense of purpose and meaning in life, which in turn reduces the risk of depression.

Pets need care

When deciding to have a pet (or give it to a loved one), it is worth remembering that a dog, cat, hamster, canary or fish are living creatures that require proper care and care. You have to go for walks with the dog several times a day, clean the cat's litter box, change the water in the aquarium for the fish.

Pets must also be properly fed (and food costs, after all) and visit the vet with them - which can be troublesome if the nearest clinic is far away from the house. The animal may then become not a comfort, but a trouble.

To check whether the quadruped will not be too burdensome for an elderly person, it is worth trying to create the so-called temporary home - it consists in providing care for the pet until it finds a permanent home.

To create such a place, it is usually enough to contact a local animal care organization or a local animal shelter.

A temporary home can become a permanent home for a selected pet when the senior befriends a dog or a cat and it turns out that they can take care of the pet.

Worth knowing

For older people, adult dogs are more suitable than puppies - it is difficult to control a very lively young animal, it can also cause falls and bruises. The dog should be properly disposed: it must not jump, bite or show any signs of aggression.

Category:

Geriatrics