{"id":603,"date":"2023-10-01T16:45:57","date_gmt":"2023-10-01T16:45:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/phlexon-dev.com\/senior\/?p=603"},"modified":"2024-03-11T00:03:59","modified_gmt":"2024-03-11T00:03:59","slug":"the-joy-of-companion-animals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/phlexon-dev.com\/senior\/the-joy-of-companion-animals\/","title":{"rendered":"The Joy of Companion Animals"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

October! It\u2019s not just the changing leaves and pumpkin spice lattes that capture our attention; it\u2019s also National Adopt a Shelter Pet Month. <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This month-long celebration is a poignant reminder of the incredible benefits that pet ownership can bring. Beyond unconditional love and companionship, pets offer an array of physical, emotional and social advantages that can significantly enhance the lives of older adults.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe all need to not feel lonely. We all want to feel loved and pets provide that for us in a really special and selfless way,\u201d says Samantha Ahnen, community engagement manager for the Jacksonville Humane Society<\/a>. \u201cAnimals love us for exactly who we are. It doesn\u2019t matter our age or background. The primary benefit of pet ownership is just that \u2013 loving companionship. But it also can help with motivation. Maybe you\u2019re retired and don\u2019t have a lot to do on a daily basis. A dog can help get you out of your bed to go on a walk. A cat can get you up to start playing in the middle of the day. We see a lot of new empty nesters come in and say, \u2018Our house is empty. We have all this space and all this free time.\u2019 They\u2019re selflessly looking for something to pour all that love and time into and we\u2019re so glad that they choose to do that with a shelter pet because these pets have so much love to give in return.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among the multi-layered benefits of life with a beloved pet are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Physical Health Benefits<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n