This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

Silver Care: The Benefits of a Pet for the Elderly

The gift of a pet for your elderly family members can do more than just create a friend for them, there are many physical and mental benefits as well.

Do you worry about your older family members and their mental well-being? Older people who can’t leave their house or live alone can suffer from the repercussions of solitude such as depression and high blood pressure. Yet while it would be nice to visit them every day, many people’s schedules don’t allow for such a plan to exist. So to place hold in-between your visits, one of the best ways to help your older family members feel less alone is to get them a pet.
A pet is a great way to help your family member feel a sense of responsibility, a sense of friendship and the feeling of not being alone. The simple responsibilities of feeding their pet, bathing them and other small acts gets them on their feet and helps them feel like they are doing something. That sense of feeling like they are doing something instead of doing nothing is also a great way for them to find a purpose in their lives because they have something to take care of. In return, the pet can make your family member feel like there is another person living with them. Just having that extra being in their home can make a huge difference in their happiness, just like the effect a pet has on a child.
So if you want to make a big impact on your older family members’ life, give them one of the best gifts possible. The gift of better health and the gift of a new friend.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?