A furry friend may help keep your mind sharp

If you’re older and live alone, you may want to consider making room for a pet.

An ongoing study looked at the relationship between owning a pet, living alone and cognitive decline, with nearly 8,000 adults age 50 and older participating. Over the span of about nine years, the participants were asked each year to recall 10 unrelated words immediately after hearing them and again after a delay. Participants also named as many animals as they could within one minute.

After analyzing the data, researchers found those who live alone and also own a pet showed slower decline in memory and verbal fluency. In contrast, for those living with other humans, owning a pet didn’t appear to have this same effect on cognitive functioning.

Mild cognitive impairment, characterized as a decline in memory, reasoning, judgement, planning and completing complex tasks, can lead to dementia. It’s estimated that more than 30% of Americans 65 years and older have mild cognitive impairment or dementia.

Health benefits of owning a pet

“Pets can offer their owners companionship and a sense of purpose,” says Dr. Christopher Zablocki, a family medicine physician at Aurora Health Care. “This is especially important for seniors who may live alone. Interacting with a pet can help relieve stress, which has been linked to memory loss. And taking your dog for a walk provides you exercise and can provide social connections with others. These are all things that help keep your mind sharp as you age.”

And that’s not all a furry friend can do. Other research has shown having a dog provides both emotional and physical health benefits for people of all ages. From helping to calm and ease anxiety to enhancing your physical activity, improving mobility, lowering blood pressure and even reducing risk of death, pets can be a positive influence in your life.

“How you age to a large degree is determined by how you approach it,” Dr. Zablocki says. “I recommend maximizing social interaction with family, friends and others in the community, as well as continuing – or starting – physically and cognitively engaging hobbies and activities.”

Of course, owning a pet comes with responsibility and should be considered carefully.

“It may not be a fit for everyone,” Dr. Zablocki says. “There are costs in food, supplies, medications, veterinary visits, and potentially additional housing and other fees. Always evaluate your own situation to decide what’s right for you.”

Looking for a primary care provider as part of your healthier lifestyle? Find one in Illinois or Wisconsin.