{"id":23216,"date":"2022-10-05T16:03:17","date_gmt":"2022-10-05T21:03:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/"},"modified":"2023-11-29T14:03:31","modified_gmt":"2023-11-29T18:03:31","slug":"benefits-of-pets-for-seniors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/benefits-of-pets-for-seniors\/","title":{"rendered":"Benefits of Pets for Seniors"},"content":{"rendered":"

An endless supply of wet kisses, a wagging tail to greet you at the door, a soft fur friend to snuggle with on the couch\u2014these are just a few of the many benefits of owning a pet. But being a fur parent is more than just companionship and love. It also comes with some health benefits, especially for seniors.<\/p>\n

How Pets Balance the Health Triangle<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being\u2014and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”<\/p>\n

This definition is often represented by a triangle with three sides: physical, mental\/emotional, and social. When one side of the triangle is out of balance, it can have a negative impact on the other two sides. Pets can help seniors stay balanced by providing physical activity, social interaction, and emotional support.<\/p>\n

Here’s a closer look at each side of the health triangle and how pets can help:<\/p>\n

Physical Health<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Pets need exercise, which means their owners do too. Walking a dog or playing with a cat gets seniors up and moving, which is essential for maintaining strength, balance, and mobility.<\/p>\n

Improve<\/em><\/strong> your Heart Health<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n

According to\u00a0studies<\/a>, owning a dog can help reduce your risk of developing heart disease. They also found that people who owned dogs were more likely to get more exercise, which is essential for maintaining a healthy heart.<\/p>\n

Get Some Exercise<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n

When it comes to motivation, nothing is quite as effective as a furry friend waiting by the door with a leash in its mouth. Pets need exercise, which means their owners can get a fair share of it too.<\/p>\n

Walking<\/a> a dog or playing with a cat gets seniors up and moving. Regular movement helps in maintaining strength, balance, and mobility.<\/p>\n

Mental\/Emotional Health<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Pets can give seniors a sense of purpose and routine, which can help combat depression and anxiety.<\/p>\n

Add Structure to Your Day<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n

Fido and Fifi need to be fed, walked, and played with\u2014and as their primary caregiver, that responsibility falls on you. Having a pet can help add structure to your day and give you a reason to get up and move. After all, sometimes, it takes a little nudge from our furry friends to help us stay on track.<\/p>\n

Combat Anxiety and Depression<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n

Studies have shown that even a brief interaction with a pet can help\u00a0boost serotonin and dopamine levels<\/a>\u00a0in the brain, which can have a calming effect. For seniors suffering from anxiety or depression, owning a pet can provide much-needed relief.<\/p>\n

Social Health<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Pets can help seniors meet new people and stay connected to their community.<\/p>\n

Make new friends<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n

A social network is not always easy to come by, but owning a pet can help. Pets are great conversation starters and can help you meet new people in your neighborhood, at the park, or even at the vet.<\/p>\n

Provide social interaction<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n

Even if you’re not looking to make new friends, Felix and Fido can provide the social interaction you need. They’re always happy to see you and offer a listening ear (or paw) when needed.<\/p>\n

The Bottom Line<\/strong><\/h3>\n

At the end of the day, nothing beats the companionship of a loyal furry friend. Pets can provide seniors with the physical, mental, and social benefits they need to stay healthy and happy. So, if you’re looking for a way to improve your health, why not adopt a pet?<\/p>\n

Whether you prefer the eager companionship of a dog, the independent spirit of a cat, or the playful nature of a small animal, there’s a pet out there that’s perfect for you. So do your research, check with your doctor, and find the perfect furry friend to help you stay healthy and happy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

An endless supply of wet kisses, a wagging tail to greet you at the door, a soft fur friend to snuggle with on the couch\u2014these are just a few of the many benefits of owning a pet. But being a fur parent is more than just companionship and love. It also comes with some health Read more >><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":23217,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[23,46],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23216","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-wellness","category-lifestyle"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nBenefits of Pets for Seniors | Lifeline<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Being a fur parent is more than just companionship and love. It also comes with some health benefits, especially for seniors.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/benefits-of-pets-for-seniors\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Benefits of Pets for Seniors\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Being a fur parent is more than just companionship and love. It also comes with some health benefits, especially for seniors.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/benefits-of-pets-for-seniors\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Lifeline\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/LifelineMedicalAlertService\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-10-05T21:03:17+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-11-29T18:03:31+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Man-and-dog-snuggling.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1254\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"836\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Elyana Krusemark\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Elyana Krusemark\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/benefits-of-pets-for-seniors\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/benefits-of-pets-for-seniors\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Elyana Krusemark\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/#\/schema\/person\/6fc025c81d40223a1f299b1c37ad8f97\"},\"headline\":\"Benefits of Pets for Seniors\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-10-05T21:03:17+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-11-29T18:03:31+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/benefits-of-pets-for-seniors\/\"},\"wordCount\":638,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/benefits-of-pets-for-seniors\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Man-and-dog-snuggling.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Health & Wellness\",\"Lifestyle\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/benefits-of-pets-for-seniors\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/benefits-of-pets-for-seniors\/\",\"name\":\"Benefits of Pets for Seniors | Lifeline\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/benefits-of-pets-for-seniors\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/benefits-of-pets-for-seniors\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Man-and-dog-snuggling.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-10-05T21:03:17+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-11-29T18:03:31+00:00\",\"description\":\"Being a fur parent is more than just companionship and love. It also comes with some health benefits, especially for seniors.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/benefits-of-pets-for-seniors\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/benefits-of-pets-for-seniors\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/benefits-of-pets-for-seniors\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Man-and-dog-snuggling.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Man-and-dog-snuggling.jpg\",\"width\":1254,\"height\":836,\"caption\":\"Senior Man Relaxing At Home With Pet Dog Smiling\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/benefits-of-pets-for-seniors\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Benefits of Pets for Seniors\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/\",\"name\":\"Lifeline\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Lifeline\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Lifeline_Only_logo_2014_Blue.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Lifeline_Only_logo_2014_Blue.png\",\"width\":1295,\"height\":444,\"caption\":\"Lifeline\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/LifelineMedicalAlertService\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/lifelinesystems\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/#\/schema\/person\/6fc025c81d40223a1f299b1c37ad8f97\",\"name\":\"Elyana Krusemark\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/085152db3ceb9b49d76cce7f20e8398753f90bb46eaabd4674eec31766bc0f75?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/085152db3ceb9b49d76cce7f20e8398753f90bb46eaabd4674eec31766bc0f75?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Elyana Krusemark\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Benefits of Pets for Seniors | Lifeline","description":"Being a fur parent is more than just companionship and love. It also comes with some health benefits, especially for seniors.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/benefits-of-pets-for-seniors\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Benefits of Pets for Seniors","og_description":"Being a fur parent is more than just companionship and love. It also comes with some health benefits, especially for seniors.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/benefits-of-pets-for-seniors\/","og_site_name":"Lifeline","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/LifelineMedicalAlertService","article_published_time":"2022-10-05T21:03:17+00:00","article_modified_time":"2023-11-29T18:03:31+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1254,"height":836,"url":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Man-and-dog-snuggling.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Elyana Krusemark","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Elyana Krusemark","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/benefits-of-pets-for-seniors\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/benefits-of-pets-for-seniors\/"},"author":{"name":"Elyana Krusemark","@id":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/#\/schema\/person\/6fc025c81d40223a1f299b1c37ad8f97"},"headline":"Benefits of Pets for Seniors","datePublished":"2022-10-05T21:03:17+00:00","dateModified":"2023-11-29T18:03:31+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/benefits-of-pets-for-seniors\/"},"wordCount":638,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/benefits-of-pets-for-seniors\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Man-and-dog-snuggling.jpg","articleSection":["Health & Wellness","Lifestyle"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/benefits-of-pets-for-seniors\/","url":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/benefits-of-pets-for-seniors\/","name":"Benefits of Pets for Seniors | Lifeline","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/benefits-of-pets-for-seniors\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/benefits-of-pets-for-seniors\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Man-and-dog-snuggling.jpg","datePublished":"2022-10-05T21:03:17+00:00","dateModified":"2023-11-29T18:03:31+00:00","description":"Being a fur parent is more than just companionship and love. It also comes with some health benefits, especially for seniors.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/benefits-of-pets-for-seniors\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/benefits-of-pets-for-seniors\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/benefits-of-pets-for-seniors\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Man-and-dog-snuggling.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Man-and-dog-snuggling.jpg","width":1254,"height":836,"caption":"Senior Man Relaxing At Home With Pet Dog Smiling"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/benefits-of-pets-for-seniors\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Benefits of Pets for Seniors"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/","name":"Lifeline","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/#organization","name":"Lifeline","url":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Lifeline_Only_logo_2014_Blue.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Lifeline_Only_logo_2014_Blue.png","width":1295,"height":444,"caption":"Lifeline"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/LifelineMedicalAlertService","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/lifelinesystems\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/#\/schema\/person\/6fc025c81d40223a1f299b1c37ad8f97","name":"Elyana Krusemark","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/085152db3ceb9b49d76cce7f20e8398753f90bb46eaabd4674eec31766bc0f75?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/085152db3ceb9b49d76cce7f20e8398753f90bb46eaabd4674eec31766bc0f75?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Elyana Krusemark"}}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23216","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23216"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23216\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34638,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23216\/revisions\/34638"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23217"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23216"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23216"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23216"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}