Pet Ownership May Offset Cognitive Decline in Older People (Roizon article)

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Pet Ownership May Offset Cognitive Decline in Older People

[Dr. Roizon contributed some of the text, not all of it]

We talk about the importance of having a supportive posse of friends and colleagues and a sense of purpose and play — not just for emotional well-being, but for your physical health, too. A workout buddy can boost your physical activity. Friends can inspire you to improve your nutrition and help you negotiate doctor appointments. Committing to helping others through a job or volunteering enriches life, making you more care-full about yourself. But have we mentioned that pets also help you gain the health benefits that come from having a posse, purpose and play — especially for older folks living alone?

The findings were published Tuesday in JAMA Network Open. Researchers looked at health and pet ownership information from a database of 7,945 people people living in the United Kingdom from 2010 to 2019. All of the people in the study were at least 50 years old, and the average age of participants was 66.

The study looked at the impact of having a pet on almost 8,000 people age 50 and older who live by themselves. It shows that not only does having a cat or dog often stimulate a daily dose of exercise, lead to interaction with other pet owners, provide heart-warming love, companionship and — admit it — good conversations, it also helps protect your brain’s verbal fluency and memory.

When older folks live alone, their risk of dementia increases significantly. So, for the 15 million older American adults who don’t have a spouse or a roommate, this is good news. It’s also good news for the 6.5 million animals who end up in shelters each year.

If you live alone and don’t have a cat or dog (goldfish and hamsters don’t seem to be as beneficial), consider adopting one and joining a local dog group or cat club (they’re all over). That’s using your brain.

For older people who live alone, owning a pet may slow the process of cognitive decline, a new study suggests.

Cognitive decline refers to problems with memory and thinking that naturally occur as people age. An estimated 10% to 20% of people over age 65 may have a more advanced form of decline called mild cognitive impairment, which can be a precursor to dementia.

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