There are many health benefits of having a pet. Just hugging a furry companion can reduce your stress and lower your blood pressure. If you have a dog, taking it for a walk gives you some exercise. A dog, and even a cat, can make you feel safer, especially if you live alone. And that companionship can ward off loneliness and depression.
This week, news of a six-year study by PhD student Jennifer Applebaum at the University of Florida reveals that pets may have a significant positive impact on the brain health of older adults. As you age, your mental faculties tend to decline. During the study researchers gave participants multiple cognitive tests. More than 1,300 adults age 50 or older participated in the study, and about half of them were pet owners. What they discovered was amazing.
Over the six-year period, the rate of cognitive decline was slower for pet owners, especially those who were long-time pet people – those who had owned pets for five years or more. What’s really interesting is that almost any kind of pet provided a mental health benefit, including birds, hamsters, rabbits, even fish – but the best results were among dog and cat owners.
Researchers point out that stress can have a negative affect on brain health, and having a pet can reduce an owner’s stress level; but they suspect the pets gave their people not just companionship but a reason to get up every day – a sense of purpose.
This is great news for those of us who love our furry friends, but it also has some negative connotations. Some older adults may find it difficult to properly care for their pets. Some may be reluctant even to go to the hospital when they are sick because of concern for the welfare of their four-footed companion.
All of us need to recognize the importance of making sure senior adults with pets have a good support system to help them care for their animals. It really is the smart thing to do for all of us, when we’re speaking of pets.
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