Pets are a common thing to have, no matter your age. While common in families with children and young adults, anyone can enjoy owning an animal. However, if you’re in your golden years, it isn’t as simple as bringing a pet home. There are ample pros and cons to consider before making a choice.
Whether you’re an older adult pondering ownership of an animal or looking to invest in one for a loving person, it’s critical to know what you’re getting into. From birds to dogs and everything in between, research should always be a staple of buying an animal. Let’s dive into the pros and cons of pet ownership as a senior.
Pros of Pet Ownership As a Senior
Emotional Well-Being
According to one study, happiness and health are linked together. As a person ages, remaining emotionally stable and happy can make it much more likely that you’ll have better health. Seniors who are alone, unfortunately, are much more likely to feel stressed, depressed, and lack emotional well-being.
Luckily, there’s a solution to that – a pet. Older adults with an animal at home will feel like they have a friend they don’t have to invite. They offer a sense of self-worth for older adults and allow a more positive outlook on life in the later years of life.
Physical Health
Not only is emotional health vital as a senior, but physical health also matters. If you have an animal, you must be at least slightly active in caring for them, keeping them entertained, and more. If you have a dog, you must take them for walks and play with them to ensure they’re healthy and entertained.
The more active you are as an older adult, the better your health will be as you age, and the more active you’ll be in your older years of life. It also created a situation where you can work out without feeling the stress of walking by yourself or heading to a gym that might be crowded with other people.
Sociability
Remaining social is also a vital part of aging well, allowing friendship and communication for the brain that’s highly valuable. According to one study, a wider social life is linked to a longer life and a lower risk of depression for those who talk with a significant number of people. A pet can assist you in remaining as social as possible.
When you own an animal, there’s a much wider group of people you’re able to interact with. Having a pet means you get to talk to veterinarians, other adults who own pets, people who love animals, neighbors, cashiers, and more. The social interactions are plentiful, especially if you have a dog who needs to go outside.
Friendship
A final and significant benefit to having a pet as a senior is the friendship they provide. It can be tricky for older adults to make friends, and many live alone. While a pet isn’t a person, it will fill a gap and make a room feel far less lonely, offering companionship in every moment.
Pets will love you unconditionally, through thick and thin. They will greet you every time you come home. Also, they’ll bring in a healthy dose of routine and responsibility along the way.
Related: The Benefits of Owning a Pet as a Senior
Cons of Pet Ownership As a Senior
Necessity of Care
As the owner of a pet, you must care for them. Sometimes, pets can get injured, and that means visits to the vet and additional assistance on your part. Not every senior is prepared to do everything they need to keep their animal in the healthiest position.
Many seniors have chronic illnesses or conditions that could prevent them from standing, bending down, or moving too long. Try to avoid a pet with special needs if you aren’t capable of offering assistance to them.
Travel Situations
According to one study, traveling keeps seniors active and healthy. You can travel in your later years, as long as you’re in good health. Unfortunately, that process becomes much trickier to accomplish if you have a pet at home.
Seniors with pets must take them along when going on vacation, find someone to care for them or take them to a boarding location. It’s more of a hassle and can add more dollars to your vacation expenses.
Necessity of Movement
If you have an animal like a dog, they need to work out and move around. Seniors must be able to take them on walks, play with them, or feed them around two times a day. If you can’t do that, you must hire someone to do the tasks.
If you don’t hire someone and can’t take them on walks, the animal will become inactive. This choice can lead to obesity and overall unhappiness in the animal.
High Prices for Care
Although many don’t realize it, pets come with a high cost of care. This statement is true for any animal, but especially for dogs. If anything goes wrong with your animal, care can be anywhere from a few hundred dollars to somewhere in the thousands.
There are other costs associated with pet ownership that many don’t consider. You must pay for food, grooming, prescriptions, supplies, and more. The financial burden will quickly add up for any senior and their family caring for them and their newfound animal.
Related: The Benefits of Therapy as You Age
Final Thoughts on Senior Pet Ownership
Owning a pet as a senior has many benefits, from creating much better emotional well-being to forming a functional friendship that will never leave an older adult. However, there are also several drawbacks, such as the necessity of care and the high price point associated with having a pet under your ownership.
Ultimately, it’s up to you to examine the pros and cons and determine which is best for your life. For some, the benefits of emotional and physical well-being might outweigh the high price point. For others, the hassle of having an animal is far too much to make it a reality.
You May Also Enjoy: The 7 Best Pets for Seniors
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