Up front, I am not a pet owner. Sure, I had pets when I was a kid. My kids had pets growing up. But when I no longer had my children living with me I was relieved to leave pet ownership behind. So, when it came time to write this month’s blog, I was not really excited.
I started my research with the premise that pets aren’t for every senior. I googled the topic why not to have a pet in your senior years. Of course, what I found was that most articles suggest it is a good idea.
However, there were some caveats. AgingInPlace.org had this to say.
“For those seniors who want a dog, there are many reasons to be wary of jumping into pet adoption too quickly. The lack of mobility and inability to drive to and from the vet, groomer, or pet store worries them. The initial costs are usually high. They also worry that if and when there comes a point when they can no longer care for the dog, that the dog might be taken to a shelter and eventually euthanized. Many seniors feel like their worsening health condition is a burden, and a pet might possibly add to that.”
But, they also listed six good reasons for seniors to care for pets.