The Impact of Pets at Assisted Living Facilities

The proven health benefits of owning a pet are at the root of a growing number of assisted living centers that include pets and animal therapy as part of their program for residents. From lower blood pressure to fewer instances of depression, senior citizens in animal-friendly assisted living situations reap the advantages that pet ownership can bring.

  1. History

    • Pets can improve the health of senior citizens.

      The Journal of the American Geriatrics Society showed that senior citizens living with pets have better health, mentally and physically, than those without pets, including lower blood pressure. This research encouraged assisted living facilities to experiment with pet-friendly living situations and animal therapy.

    Potential

    • Some assisted living facilities include all types of animals.

      A residential home for seniors, Eden Alternative, which houses hundreds of animals, including birds, dogs, cats, rabbits and chickens, claims a mortality rate 15 percent lower than non-animal-friendly assisted living facilities.

    Effects

    • Pets can ease the difficult transition to assisted living.

      According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pets can lower blood pressure and cholesterol, ease loneliness and improve social lives, which are benefits of particular importance for seniors who may be dealing with health problems and the transition into assisted living.

    Benefits

    • Pets can help ease isolation and loneliness for assisted living residents.

      Residents of assisted living facilities may not have family nearby, and may have difficulty moving from the center, or even from their room. Pets can fulfill their needs to care for a living creature while providing interaction that they can enjoy without needing a great deal of mobility.

    Expert Insight

    • Pets may even reduce the need for doctor's appointments.

      Twenty years worth of studies on the effects of pets on senior citizens show an improvement in the symptoms of Alzheimer's patients in assisted living centers, as well as an overall reduction in visits to the doctor among pet-owning seniors.