Can Fido Change Your Health?
When you need a hand, sometimes you end up finding a paw!
We all know pets are a great source of companionship and can be a huge stress relief from our hectic lives. But did you know just spending 15 minutes with a pet sets off a chemical chain reaction that can increase your overall health? The chemical reaction that is released has insane amounts of benefits to your body, and it only increases with the amount of time that you spend with a pet.
During the 15 minutes, cortisol levels will become lower. Cortisol is the fight or flight hormone, which means when there is a decrease, you feel more relaxed. You will also experience an increase of serotonin, which is a feel-good hormone. This is all within just 15 minutes of hanging out with your favorite cat or dog!
Other health benefits of human and pet interaction can include the following:
- Lower cholesterol levels
- Protecting against heart disease and stroke
- Lower blood pressure
The benefits do not just stop with an increase in physical health, but it also increases mental health.
Having a pet can increase social interaction and decrease the possibility of depression. Pets can fulfill the basic human need of touch, love and affection. As humans, we long for acceptance and feeling wanted our furry four legged friends do just that. Pets need you to care for them, they depend on you to keep them safe and healthy (and they are super cute). Having a pet makes all the difference to a senior who is homebound who wants to age in place.
That is why we created our Pet Care Food & Assistance Service. Our Pet Care Food & Assistance Service provides the necessities to our seniors and allows them to age in place with their pet. Our service provides pet food, essential items, and treats to their beloved best friend. Their pets and the volunteers in our organization may be the only contact they have without them they would be completely isolated. We love taking care of our senior’s pets just as much as we love taking care of our seniors. In 2019, we hope to serve more wagging tails, furry faces and chipping critters!
Since we now have convinced you that you need a pet check out Pet’s For Seniors. They are an Illinois based organization that matches seniors with pets that are the best fit! Once you find the perfect pet, give us a call and we can get you set up with everything you need to make them feel right at home.
