Many people have strong bonds with a pet, and this can be true within the senior population, too. However, most hospitals and nursing homes will not allow residents to bring dogs and cats from home. It’s unfortunate that this happens, although it is understandable. The negative impact is that pets can have a beneficial influence on their owners. Science has shown us that just a few minutes of spending time with an animal that we love can lower stress levels, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. There is even an argument to be made that pets can relieve the symptoms of depression.
If there was a way to combine the best quality senior care with keeping your elderly loved one’s pets close at hand, many additional people would benefit in ways that most current systems do not allow. In-home care is a simple way to get this done. Because your loved one doesn’t need to leave their house to get their daily care, the pets can stay, allowing your parent to keep their lifestyle the same. They could even get a new dog if they wished. They are in the comfort of their home, and do not need to follow the health rules of an institutionalized setting.
One big concern that needs to be addressed is the fact that a pet could potentially be neglected in such a scenario. If your loved one lives alone, the good that the pet provides could come at the price of the dog or cat’s health, especially if your mom or dad suffers from Alzheimer’s or another type of dementia. If this is the case, a pet is probably not the best idea until your loved one’s more immediate needs are met and the pet’s safety can be ensured.
In-home care provides many other benefits, too, but the main theme throughout all of them is that your loved one doesn’t need to leave their old life behind just because they need help getting through the day. Rather than having their life rearranged, the help comes right to them with as little inconvenience as possible put upon them. And if they are benefiting from having a dog or cat in their life, there’s usually not a need to take that away from them. When an elderly person in need finds something that works for them when it comes to their health, you should do what you can to preserve that, even if it’s just a small comfort.
Other types of senior care will sometimes allow a pet. For example, there are a handful of privately owned assisted living facilities that will allow pets. Sometimes, they will have a communal pet that the residents share. Very rarely they will allow you to bring a pet from home, but this is an exception and doesn’t happen often. The best way to ensure that you can keep your own pet with you is to stay in the home, and the only care that offers this all the time is in-home care.
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