One customer demographic that Deluxe Dog Concierge is
pleased to serve is our senior population.
Being an older adult and having the responsibility for a pet’s care can have
both enriching and challenging consequences.
On the plus side, caring for a pet can exert a positive influence
on the life of an elderly person, especially if he/she lives alone. Just having the companionship of another
living being can ward off feelings of loneliness and depression. But there are other emotional benefits to
consider. Pets can add greater purpose
and meaning to an elderly person’s life.
Simply following one’s daily pet
care routine may add the necessary structure to nourish one’s cognitive skills
and help maintain their mental acuity.
From a physical standpoint, pet care responsibility serves to keep
elders more active. They usually have to
bend and reach to pick up, feed and pat their loved ones. And for dog owners, there’s the health benefits
reaped from walking their pets and getting some physical exercise. In addition, some studies have even shown
that pet companionship helps lower human blood pressure.
In terms of the challenges that pet ownership present
amongst elders, there is the real concern over how to effectively care for a
pet as your own mobility diminishes. It
can be extremely disconcerting and worrisome because as one’s range of motion becomes
more limited, their capacity to provide the pet with the exercise it has grown accustomed
to also lessens. Furthermore, there is
the issue of even being able to keep one’s pet with them should the elder have
to move into a care facility or other senior living community.
The encouraging news is that the owners/management of more
senior living and retirement communities recognize the psychosocial and
physical benefits residents derive from pet ownership. And so, more of them have adopted a “pawsitive” pet policy.
In June, I have been invited to deliver a pet education seminar
at two communities for older active adults in San Diego. Leveraging what I know about both the
enriching and challenging aspects referenced above, my presentation will center
on “Staying Healthy: You and Your Dog”. I selected this topic in light of the tight
emotional bonds that develop between people and their pets. Pet ownership/care amongst elders is truly a
symbiotic relationship. The person gives
attention and loving kindness to their pet and the animal showers unconditional
love upon his/her parent.
In closing, one of the reasons for my embarking upon pet
care as a professional endeavor is that I treasure the deep and meaningful
relationships that form between people and their pets. This is often magnified in our elder
populations as they have more time to spend with their pets and give them
personal attention.
There are so many animals in need of a good home and there
are many older adults who have the time and space to share their lives with
another soul. May these special
relationships flourish!
