The Family Pet
The human – animal bond is a powerful one and studies have shown that animals can have a beneficial effect on human health and emotional well-being. More and more service animals are being brought into hospitals and nursing homes to provide comfort and companionship. The connection is instant and there are numerous stories espousing the magic that exists between humans and animals.
We love animals and believe strongly in bringing an animal into the home of your loved one, providing the animal receives the proper care. Beautiful bonds between seniors and animals have been documented and seniors who suffer from depression can find love and comfort from having a pet. But pet care takes time and is another responsibility. Think carefully about your decision about adding a pet to the household.
If a pet is already living in your loved one’s home, then you really have no choice except to make sure that proper care is provided. It is possible that your loved one has become lax in this area and you may need to make an appointment with the veterinarian to make certain that everything is okay. If you are in a position to hire outside help to walk or run a dog or to have someone come in and feed the senior’s pet, this is one way to help minimize your responsibility and gives the senior peace of mind. It’s also a nice idea to consider having a mobile groomer come every few months for sanitation reasons. You don’t want to be bringing extra dirt and germs into the house, so this really alleviates a lot of extra labor for you. Do you really have time to bathe a dog?
Animals provide a huge amount of companionship and the joy that is brought to the home is often worth the extra investment in time and money.
* Make sure you keep a current photo of the animal in house in case it gets out of the house or yard.
