For the elderly, especially those who live alone, a pet can become a cherished companion and a source of emotional support. Pets provide unconditional love and a sense of purpose, which can significantly improve the quality of life for senior citizens.
In addition, it’s been found that interacting with pets can reduce a senior’s stress levels, lower their blood pressure, and increase their opportunities for healthy social interaction. Indeed, the company of a pet is one of the best gifts that someone in their twilight years will be able to experience.
Physical limitations, like reduced mobility or strength on the part of the senior, can make daily tasks like walking a dog or bending to refill food and water bowls more difficult. Seniors may also face health concerns that impact their ability to provide consistent care for their pets.
Given these challenges, families and caregivers should be able to offer enough support to ensure that both the senior and their pet receive the proper care they need from day to day.
If you have senior loved ones like relatives or dear friends who have pets, here are some things that you can do to promote safety and make life easier for both this older person and their companion animals.
Daily movement will be essential for your senior loved one and their pet dog to stay healthy. However, taking dogs out for walks can be physically demanding for seniors, particularly those with mobility issues. On days that walking outside will do the elderly person more harm than good, it’s an option to hire a dog walker to ensure that the dog gets some necessary exercise without placing extra strain on their senior owner.
The dog walker can come daily or whenever they’re needed and take your senior loved one’s pet for a walk, thus allowing the latter to stay healthy and active. A dog walker will also be well positioned to oversee socialization opportunities for the dog, which will be good for the dog’s mental health and the owner’s peace of mind.
When vetting a dog walker for your loved one, ensure they are experienced, reliable, and have a good understanding of pet behavior. It’s also important to supply them with a sturdy collar and leash for daily walks. Consider gifting your loved one some quality custom dog collars or harnesses for their pet’s comfort and security and for easy handling no matter who walks them.
Accessibility is also crucial for seniors when it comes to feeding their pets. If you’re in a position to help them arrange their furniture and belongings, ensure that pet food storage is in a location that’s easy for your senior loved one to reach. This means avoiding high shelves or low cupboards that might cause strain or accidents.
In addition, opt for containers with easy-to-open lids to help seniors manage feeding tasks more comfortably. Label containers clearly to prevent any confusion about which food to use and help maintain an organized feeding routine. While these seem like simple adjustments, they can go a long way in preventing injuries and make feeding time easier and more pleasant.
Pets need to be regularly fed and have access to clean, fresh water to stay healthy. But at times, regularly feeding their pets may seem like a monumental task for your senior loved ones due to mobility issues and reduced strength. There’s also a chance that those with memory problems might forget to feed their pets.
To help your senior loved one perform such essential pet care, why not gift them with automatic feeders and self-refilling pet bowls? These are excellent tools for feeding pets on a regular schedule without requiring constant attention. Devices like these will also help reduce the effort required to refill pets’ food and water bowls.
Automatic feeders can be programmed to dispense food at specific times, which will ensure that a pet is fed on time even if your senior loved one has difficulty observing their schedule. Self-refilling water bowls work the same way, ensuring that a pet always has access to fresh water and is sufficiently hydrated.
It’s also important to keep your senior loved one’s home safe for them and their pets. One way to do this is by installing pet gates to create a controlled environment, thus protecting both the pets and your senior loved one from potential accidents.
Pet gates can prevent pets from entering spaces that might be hazardous to them, such as kitchens or staircases. The gates can also keep pets out of certain rooms where falls might occur more often than others, like bathrooms.
When investing in a pet gate for your loved one’s home, consider getting those with a swinging door. They’re more convenient for seniors to use compared to the type that requires lifting or moving.
Routine health checks are vital for maintaining a pet’s health, just like they are for the senior in question. The pet should be able to receive their necessary vaccinations, treatments, and health assessments to stay in tip-top shape.
Encourage your senior loved ones to keep up with scheduled appointments to prevent any health issues from going unnoticed and, better yet, help them do so if you can. You could drive or help them organize transportation for vet visits so that their pet can receive timely medical care, and so that they can fulfill this obligation without getting too tired or stressed.
Arrange for family, friends, or pet transport services to assist with getting pets to the vet safely. You can also check for veterinary clinics that offer mobile services in your area, which can be the more convenient option for seniors caring for their pets.
The tips discussed above should make it easier for your senior loved ones and their pets to live long, healthy, and happy lives together. Knowing that this bond can do a lot to boost your senior loved one’s independence, sense of self, and quality of life, do what you can to make pet care easy for them.
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