Senior Care in Boynton Beach FL
Before seniors decide to get a pet, it is important to reflect on all the very real implications of getting and owning a pet. Is the senior’s home pet friendly? Will there be enough room for the pet to be comfortable? Will the cost be too much? What size pet and what type of pet are best? Is the senior going to be overwhelmed by the responsibility? And above all else, where should the senior go to get a pet?
There is no doubt that the presence of a pet can improve the mood of a senior at home. Petting a dog or cat can reduce stress and make everyone feel good and some people believe it can reduce blood pressure as well as staving off depression. But there are other benefits as well. If that pet needs to be walked, it gets the senior outside multiple times daily. If it needs food or water, it is up to the senior to provide it, and by having that responsibility, they feel needed again. Which is a wonderful thing for them.
While puppies and kittens are cute and sweet, the reality is that they are much like human babies and require round-the-clock supervision which may be simply too much for your senior. So you may want to consider either getting an older cat or dog instead.
Believe it or not, there are special organizations that match seniors with older pets (typically over 7 years old). One such organization, www.paws.org, has a program that they call Seniors for Seniors. Through this program, the paws people (they call them matchmakers) help facilitate an appropriate pet for each individual senior’s circumstances. They provide follow up support and will accept a return of the pet if the senior becomes unable to continue to provide care. They also offer a discounted adoption rate of $35.00 which may help seniors on a fixed income.
And personality plays a part as well, as there are definitely traits that are more true of cats than dogs and vice versa. Cats tend to be more indoors and independent, telling their owners when they want attention and deciding how much they intend to give. Dogs on the other hand, always want attention. They can be more rambunctious, louder, more demanding, and far more affectionate. They also need to be walked regularly and there can be a danger there if they overpower a senior and pull them along so be careful to ask about traits of the dog.
If you or a family member near Boynton Beach, FL are in need of senior care services, call the caring professionals at Star Multi Care today at (954) 870-4770. Providing Service in Ft. Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Pompano Beach, Delray Beach, Coconut Creek, Taramac, Margate, and surrounding Florida cities.
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