If your elderly loved one would like to have a pet, there are some things that you should talk to them about. Having a pet can be a wonderful experience. The unconditional love that your elderly loved one gets from their pet is amazing. However, they will need to do certain things to keep their pet healthy and to keep their own life in balance, too. These tips will help you and home care providers to encourage your elderly loved one to take care of their pet.
Creating Routines
Home Care Bay Shore NY – Tips for Encouraging the Elderly to Take Care of Pets
If your elderly loved one is going to have a pet, it would be beneficial for them to create routines. Your elderly loved one might not like routines. If this is the case, they should get a pet that doesn’t need much structure, such as a fish or a guinea pig. However, if they are up for you and their home care providers helping them with a routine, they might be okay with having a dog or a cat.
Going Outdoors
Does your elderly loved one like to go outdoors? If they are going to have a dog, they will need to take their dog outdoors often. They will need to take their dog outside to use the bathroom. They will also need to take their dog on walks regularly, too. If this is something that your elderly loved one is willing and able to do, then a dog would be a great pet for them. However, if your elderly loved one can’t be outside often, maybe you or one of their home care providers could let the dog out.
Need for Companionship
If your elderly loved one is in need of companionship, but they don’t easily connect with most people, then getting them a pet might be the solution. Dogs and cats can be very intuitive to people’s needs and emotions. Many dogs will lay and cuddle with humans in their bed or on the couch. In addition, many dogs will sense the emotions of their owner and go to them when they are sad or feeling down. If your elderly loved one needs a companion, maybe you or their home care provider could take them to pick out a dog they feel connected to.
These are some of the tips for encouraging your elderly loved one to take care of a pet. If you aren’t sure whether your elderly loved one would be able to take care of a pet, but they really want one, maybe you or one of the home care providers could help to care for it.
Sources: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5573436/