Living with a pet has many benefits that positively affect the health, both physical and mental, of the elderly. The first consequence is that it forces them to be more active , since they have to go for a walk with them, feed them, take them to the vet… With which, they will also go out and socialize more and better.
And not only that, but having someone to take care of and worry about also forces you to take care of yourself. In addition, if the elderly person lives alone, the company that the animal will keep them and the bond that will be established between them will be very special and beneficial for both of them.
First , the physical health of the person is markedly improved by frequent daily walks. The ideal is, as we tell you in the gallery, that the dog is small or medium in size and does not need intense physical exercise, as this will better adapt to the person’s lifestyle and both will blend in on their walks.
There are several studies that conclude that people who have pets are in better health. Specifically, a study carried out by a Swedish university pointed out that these people have much better cardiovascular health than those who do not live with an animal. In this case, the dog reports more benefits, since it forces us to take daily walks.
On the other hand, we already know (also from several studies carried out throughout history) that dogs intuit human emotions. If you have one, surely he has tried to “comfort” you in his own way when you have been sad. This is so because, after so many years of domestication and living with humans, they have learned to understand certain of our emotions.
Second , as we said, the company of the animal has a very positive impact on the mental and emotional health of its owner. We already know that the bond that we can create with a dog is unique, but in the cases of older people (whose family has already become independent and who usually live alone) it becomes even more special.
However, before adopting a dog to live with an elderly person, there are certain things to consider. Do you want to know which ones?
