Pets also provided love, companionship and emotional connection, as well as a sense of responsibility, purpose and being needed by another living creature.
“Positive emotions are natural pain-killers, and they affect our brain chemistry just like medications do,” Ms. Janevic says.
At the same time, some owners mentioned challenges of pet ownership, such as worrying about finding care for their pet when they’re unable, monitoring their pet’s health, having enough money for pet care, and anticipating grief over losing a pet. A few owners mentioned occasional sleep interruptions due to their pets.
Older adults shouldn’t buy a new pet to solve their chronic pain problems if they don’t already have one, Ms. Janevic says, cautioning pets aren’t for everyone.
“Pets have very different temperaments and behaviors (unlike therapy animals) and therefore a given pet may or may not be helpful for a particular health issue, including chronic pain,” she says.
The researchers are also investigating other ways that owning or having regular contact with a pet in a community setting may benefit cognitive function, such as memory, motor speed and loneliness.
“Rates of pet ownership decline with advancing age, highlighting the importance of supporting older adults to retain their pets so they may continue to experience the many health and wellbeing benefits pets offer,” says Nancy Gee, a Fredonia, New York-based research manager for Human-Animal Interaction for Mars Petcare’s Waltham center in Leicester, U.K.
“Make the most of the power of pets,” Ms. Gee, who wasn’t involved in the study, told Reuters Health by email. “Pets have been shown to benefit people from childhood well into old age and in many different contexts.”
Reference
- Janevic MR, Shute V, Connell CM, et al. The role of pets in supporting cognitive-behavioral chronic pain self-management: Perspectives of older adults. J Appl Gerontol. 2019 Jun 19:733464819856270. [Epub ahead of print]
