Maybe your father needs to keep up with his exercise, but without anyone at home to nudge him outdoors, he tends to put it off. Maybe your mother needs something to focus her attention on instead of her health worries. The right animal companion is the perfect way to keep older adults active as they age in place, and to help them feel less alone, needed and loved. For adults living alone, "animals can reduce feelings of loneliness or isolation," she says.
Research has also found that pet owners take better care of themselves, rebound faster from illness, maintain lower blood pressure, and have a lower risk of heart disease, Johnson says, adding that she has seen these benefits firsthand at TigerPlace, an independent living community co-developed by the university that encourages pet ownership.
She credits animal companionship there with transforming withdrawn, sedentary adults into active, social members of the community. Before getting a pet for a relative or friend who is aging in place, be sure the person truly wants a pet and is able to handle the day-to-day responsibilities, as well as expenses, like food and veterinary care. It's also important to give some thought to what you'll do if the person needs to move into an assisted-living facility, becomes unable to care for the pet or dies before the pet.
For example, will you take the pet into your own home? The next step is choosing an animal whose personality is compatible with its new owner's. Like people, animal personalities can run the gamut from clown to jock to couch potato. Also factor in how much space the animal needs, how much time it's able to spend alone, and how much exercise it requires.
If you're purchasing a pet for the first time, make sure you're prepared to be a responsible co-owner, along with its destined companion. This guide from the American Kennel Club can get you started as a dog owner, and these resources from the American Humane Association will help get you set to care for a cat. The following dog and cat breeds can be a good fit for people aging in place — be sure to check them out in our slide show.
