If you have a canine family member, you probably already know they’re good for you. There’s something about that wiggly tail and goofy doggy smile that instantly boosts your mood. And, when you’re feeling stressed, spending some snuggle time with your poochy pal can make you calmer. But, the news about the health benefits of dogs just got even better! So good, in fact, that you might want to consider helping your senior parent to adopt a furry friend.Research Shows Dogs Lead to Longer Lives
A new study conducted by researchers at the Uppsala University in Sweden suggests that owning a dog could lead to a longer life span. Researchers followed 3.4 million people for 12 years. The participants were all middle-aged and older, and none of them had heart disease when the study began. At the end of the study, researchers determined that people who lived alone and owned a dog had an 11 percent lower chance of dying from heart disease and a one-third lower chance of dying from any cause than people who simply lived alone, without the benefit of a canine companion.
The researchers believe that there is a cause and effect relationship between dog ownership and health. They cited the following health benefits:
- Dog owners are more physically active.
- Better social contacts.
- A feeling of well-being.
- A positive effect on a person’s “good” bacteria.
If a longer lifespan isn’t enough to convince you that your older adult family member could benefit from a dog, here are some more health benefits of dog ownership:
- Easing Anxiousness in Alzheimer’s Patients: People with Alzheimer’s who have a pet in the home experience anxious outbursts less often than those who do not have a pet. Fewer anxious outbursts also means that family caregivers experience less stress, so the health benefits of the dog extend to both people.
- Lower Blood Pressure: A study that involved stockbrokers, people with a notoriously high-pressure job, showed that those with high blood pressure who adopted a pet had lower blood pressure during stressful situations. If a dog can lower the blood pressure of a stockbroker, just think what it might do for an older adult!
- Less Depression: Studies have shown that people who own a dog are not as likely to be depressed.
If you’d like to help your senior family member to adopt a dog, but worry that they may have difficulty caring for it, a senior care provider can help. Senior care providers can assist older adults to care for their pets. They can help feed and water the dog. Senior care providers can also drive the dog and its owner to the vet for checkups.
Sources
https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/news/20171117/adopting-a-dog-could-lengthen-your-life
http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/17/health/dog-owners-heart-disease-and-death/index.html
https://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/features/health-benefits-of-pets#1
https://www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-health/mood-boosting-power-of-dogs.htm
IF YOU OR AN AGING LOVED ONE ARE CONSIDERING HIRING IN-HOME SENIOR CARE IN RIVER NORTH, IL, PLEASE CONTACT THE CARING STAFF AT BRIGHTSTAR CARE CHICAGO. CALL TODAY: 312.382.8888.