A Senior’s Guide to Keeping a Pet at Home

Are you thinking of giving grandma or grandpa a pet for him or her to enjoy its company while you are away? If so, then you need to make sure if a pet is truly what your elderly needs.

It is true that living alone can be boring and may be depressing for some. But before going to the nearby shelter to adopt a dog or a cat, you need to consider some things first.

One Care Companion, provider of home care services in Naples South Florida, gives you a list of questions you should ask yourself and your senior family member before adding a new family member:

• What is the right pet for the right owner?
  You need to assess what pet is right for your elderly. If they are the adventurous type or if they have the need to feel more security, you can opt for bigger dogs who can give them that. Do they prefer a pet that they can keep up with? Why not go for a cat? There are a lot of things you need to consider before deciding on the right animal friend. Let us know what pet you or your elderly has at home on the comments below. Also, we would appreciate it if you comment what pet you would recommend to a senior.
• Does your elderly embrace change in their living?
  If your elderly is contented with his or her life and do not want to change their routine, you do not have to force a pet on them.
• Have they had a pet before?
  According to Amy Sherman, the author of Distress-Free Aging: A Boomer’s Guide to Creating a Fulfilled and Purposeful Life and a licensed therapist, believes that it is best to introduce a pet to an elderly if he or she have had an experience in having one before. Being old is hard on itself and introducing them to a new experience may be stressful to them.
• Do they have disabilities?
  When taking in a pet, the owner has full responsibility to caring for it. If they have disabilities whether physically or mentally, it will be hard for them to give care to the pet. Dogs, for instance, provide companionship to seniors who can take them for a walk outside the house. If the elderly is physically challenged, a cat, a small paper-trained dog or an indoor bird will suit their needs.
• Do they need a therapy pet?
  There are elder people who are in need of a therapy pet. If the person is very impaired, they can be a good candidate for a therapy dog.
• Is the pet healthy and of the right age?
  It is very much important to cater the health of one’s pets most especially if the owner is old. These cute and amazing animals can bring diseases into the house and these diseases may contact the owner if they are not seen by professionals. One should also consider the pet’s age. It is not advisable to give an elderly a kitten or a puppy because it needs more care and it is also not wise to give an old pet for it may get sick or start to have a physical limitation which can be stressful for the senior.
• Do you have issues with finances?
  Pets are not just things or decorations one could just purchase and leave it to rot. They need food, medical care, toys and even grooming. Before taking in a pet, make sure you are all capable of giving their needs.

If your senior wants a pet but could not take care of it, you can always ask for the services of One Care Companion, provider of home care services in Naples South Florida. Pets are man’s greatest companions in times of loneliness and boredom. They provide quite a number of benefits and you can read these benefits on our blog entitled “Seniors Ask: Do I Need a Pet?”

Learn more on how we integrate pet care to our home care services in Naples South Florida, by going to our website at www.onecarecompanion.com.