Home Care: Research shows that having a cat or a dog can help elderly people benefit emotionally, mentally, and physically.
If you are caring for your elderly loved one, you should talk to them about getting a pet. Let them know about the pet ownership benefits you read about today. If they want to get a pet, you can even get them home care services. The caregivers can help with some tasks including taking the dog outside to go potty.
Boosting Physical Activity
One of the top benefits of pet ownership for elderly people is boosting physical activity. When someone owns a pet, they need to care for it every day. For example, dog ownership requires taking the dog for a walk, playing with it, grooming it, and feeding it. If your elderly loved one needs to be more physically active, getting them a pet can help. Just make sure your elderly loved one’s body is strong enough to care for a pet. If they can’t move around well because of a serious health condition, it may not be a good idea.
Enhancing Mood
Does your elderly loved one struggle with depression, anxiety, or high levels of stress? If so, they could benefit from owning a pet. Research shows that people who own pets are often happier and more content in life than those who don’t. For example, if you get your elderly loved one a dog, the dog might make them smile when rolling around on the floor. Between the companion care at home services and owning a pet, your elderly loved one should be in a much better mood.
Improving Cognitive Functions
There are many senior citizens who don’t get enough cognitive stimulation. If this is the case for your elderly loved one, getting a pet might be able to help. Having a cat or a dog means your elderly loved one will need to groom and feed it. These tasks can help to keep your elderly loved one’s mind sharp. Many senior citizens that own pets feel a higher sense of purpose, as well.
Home Care: Conclusion
Have you been trying to find the best ways to help improve your elderly loved one’s emotional, physical, and mental state? Does it seem like you need to do 10 different things to improve each one of these areas of their lives? If so, getting your elderly loved one a pet can help them in all these areas. If you are worried that your elderly loved one can’t take care of a pet on their own, you or home care providers can help with some pet-related tasks.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Care in Lafayette, AL, please contact the caring staff at Prime Home Health today. Caring for Our Friends and Neighbors in Tallapoosa, Chambers, Lee, Macon, and Russell Counties! Call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! 334.745.7966
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