Having a pet in your later years has been proven to boost health and social habits. Baby boomers are developing strong relationships with their pets while benefiting on multiple levels in their quality of life.
“A number of scientific studies have measured the positive impact pets can have on health and well-being. For example, Loyola University researchers found five to 15 minutes of animal therapy each day was associated with a 28 percent drop in the need for oral pain medication among patients recovering from joint-replacement surgery.
A 2013 study from the American Heart Association also shows that pets can help lower blood pressurethrough sitting and petting. “I know some physical therapists who like their clients to have medium-to-long hair cats so they brush them [as a form of therapy],” Stickland says. Nearly 80 million U.S. households own a pet, according to the American Pet Products Association. Of those, 37 percent are baby boomers.”
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