Pets serve many of different functions. For the elderly, pets can be a reason to get out of bed and start the day, someone who depends on them , and gives unconditional love. Pets can make you laugh and divert your mind away from your troubles. For many it may be the only living thing they talk to and interact with for days at a time. Pets can fill the void left by the death of a longtime spouse. It can be a reason to go out for a walk, a reason to get groceries into the house, and something to talk to and talk about to others. Not all pets require a lot of maintenance. A bowl of fish can be just as entertaining as an animal that requires a higher degree of maintenance.
Pets are being used more and more in hospitals and nursing homes. Studies have shown that pets can aid relaxation, lower one’s blood pressure, promote health, and prolong life. They help us unwind. Nutured by the affectionate attention of pets, stress and anxiety are reduced. Patients in hospitals and nursing homes who have regular visits from their pets have shown to be more receptive to treatment. Their pets bring love and acceptance that boost self-esteem and helps give the patient the incentive to recover and the will to live. Animal programs in nursing homes increase self-care activity and mobility, residents come alive and their spirits are lifted. Depressed patients who were unwilling to work to regain lost abilities resulting from stroke, when given a pet, begin to smile and cooperate with therapists. A pet is always there, eager to please, no matter what the person’s state.
For the handicapped the benefits of pets are sometimes the difference between functioning or not. A trained pet can be the eyes for the blind, the arms for those unable to reach, or an alarm of danger for the hearing impaired.
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