Animal attraction: Match makers pair senior pets with senior citizens
Having a pet in your life can help you feel healthy, happy and more engaged with your community at any age, but particularly when you get older. Pets can have an exceptional impact on the health and well-being of seniors.
Research shows that seniors who own dogs visit the doctor less often than seniors who don't. Pets help prevent and treat stress; encourage playfulness, exercise, laughter; and promote social interaction. In addition, pet owners tend to have fewer minor health problems, lower medical costs, better psychological well-beings and higher one-year survival rates following coronary heart disease. In fact, some studies even have shown an association between pet ownership and lower blood pressure — both systolic and diastolic.
The fact that training a puppy or dealing with a kitten can be a challenge makes the adoption of an older animal a better option for senior citizens, said Dawn Kemper, executive director of Young at Heart Senior Pet Adoptions, a rescue and pet shelter for senior animals, located in Palatine.
“We receive placements of many dogs and cats whose previous human guardian died or had to move to a health care facility or a relative's home,” she explained. “Our mission is to find those pets a new home with another family or senior citizen.”
The dogs they place range in size from three to 140 pounds and are placed, based on the setup of the home and the physical limitations of the prospective owner. “We try to carefully match the pets with the lifestyles of the potential owners,” Kemper said. “For instance, if a potential owner wants to be able to hold their pet on their lap, it needs to be smaller. But if the potential owner uses a walker for mobility, then you need a larger dog that won't get run over easily.
“Animals are instant companions who do not judge,” she said, “and we have seen both the pet and the person blossom, time and time again. In addition, having a pet tends to reduce a senior's blood pressure and stress level and alleviates their loneliness.”
If you are considering a senior adoption, keep in mind that senior pets are usually mellow, relaxed and ready for a new home. They are past the puppy chewing and destruction stage — or the kitten climbing-up-curtains and divebombing you from above stage — and usually come with basic training, including housebreaking. Most senior pets are happiest sitting at your feet or curled up in their bed next to yours.
They are also full-grown and their personalities are completely developed. You will immediately know what kind of animal he or she is and will always be. He or she also knows his or her manners. They don't tend to chew shoes anymore and are satisfied with casual walks, cuddling and short play times.
They are wonderful, non-demanding companions, Kemper said.
Ask anybody who has adopted an adult dog or cat and they'll swear their bond with their rescued dog or cat is as deep as they come. Pets that have been uprooted from their homes are likely to bond completely and deeply with their new human caretakers who they view as heroes. Once they are adopted they usually want nothing more than to please their new owner/hero and are exceptionally affectionate and attentive pets and extremely loyal companions.
Rescue groups that specialize in senior pet adoptions work very hard to help adult dogs and cats find good homes. Their ranks are almost always made up of a group of volunteers. These people are incredibly passionate about rescue and work tirelessly to make sure every pet finds a home. Nothing is as rewarding to these volunteers as a successful adoption.
Young at Heart places approximately 100 senior pets (with an average age of 12 years) each year, Kemper said. They can be reached at (847) 529-2025.
The Chicago Anti-Cruelty Society, (312) 644-8338, and Wright-Way Rescue in Morton Grove, (847) 728-5434, also have programs to pair senior citizens with senior pets.