While reports on the health benefits of caring for a dog, cat or other critter abound, a new poll suggests that aging adults in particular can benefit from an animal companion.
Considering that more than 40% of seniors experience loneliness on a regular basis , encouraging seniors to adopt pets, or granting more access to therapy animals, could improve their well-being. In fact, among the surveyed seniors who lived alone and/or reported fair or poor physical health, 72% said their pets helped them cope with physical or emotional symptoms.Pets ease pain.
But one shouldn't adopt a golden retriever for their golden years without considering how a pet will affect their lifestyle and their finances. Some pet factors that might give older adults reason to paws include: Pets get expensive. It takes a lot of scratch to care for a dog or a cat; Rover.com reports that canines cost their owners $153 a month on average, adding up to $1,836 a year.