There are many theories about how to maintain our health and well-being as we get older. One of the leading ones is to have a pet in our lives. Numerous studies have shown that a pet can provide comfort, companionship, activity and emotional support for seniors – or people of any age, for that matter.
A little more than half (55%) of Americans aged 50 to 80 have pets, according to a 2019 study commissioned by AARP and Michigan Medicare in the US. When asked to cite the benefits of having a pet, 79% mentioned reduced stress.