Pets can help mental health and disease prevention in the elderly

Mental health

The company of a pet can help prevent disease and improve quality of life in old age

Pets make a lot of difference in anyone’s life and with the elderly this becomes even more potent. At this stage of life when most people feel very lonely, the presence of a pet is beneficial for emotional, physical and social health.

In addition to being cuddly, they are companions and awaken in people a feeling of security and fidelity, removing sadness and awakening feelings of pleasure, in simple games.

For the technical coordinator of Home Angels, a network of caregivers of supervised people, Janaína Rosa, there are countless benefits that the presence of pets can provide and she listed a few:

The presence of a small animal at this stage of life removes the feeling of loneliness, in addition to helping in the prevention and treatment of diseases or mental disorders.

“The animals fill moments of lack and a feeling of emptiness, directly helping mental health. Some small demonstrations of affection are able to help diseases such as depression and increase the feeling of well-being and happiness”,

explains the coordinator.

• Increased social interaction

Many seniors live far from their families and this often causes a feeling of loneliness.

“The company of a caregiver for routine activities helps a lot in social interaction, but when it is accompanied by another stimulus, this is even more potentiated. Animal care gets people moving as they need to walk, play and feed these little friends. In this sense, it encourages them to leave the house more and have contact with other people, something extremely important for emotional and cognitive health at this stage of life”,

affirm.

Caring for and playing with a pet can greatly reduce stress and promote a greater sense of well-being.

“A simple affection already stimulates relaxation and awakens in the elderly the activation of dopamine and serotonin, responsible for the feeling of tranquility. This action acts directly on the reduction of levels of anxiety and irritation, bringing comfort and improving mood”,

complete Janaina.

*With advisory information

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