Feature

posted 14 Jun 2004 in Volume 9 Issue 4

Older people and companion animals

“Animals are such agreeable friends – they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms,” (George Eliot – Mr Gilfil’s Love Story). Elizabeth Ormerod BVMS MRCVS, chair of the Society for Companion Animal Studies (SCAS), explains the easily overlooked role of animals in the lives of clients and patients.

For many older people, the relationship they share with their companion animal is very special. The companion animal, whatever the species, can be an extremely important source and object of love, and for some older people living alone, their pet may be their most significant other.

The benefits of companion animals or older people have been the subject of recent scientific study. The late Professor Boris Levinson was the first to alert other health professionals to the potential of this bond to promote and maintain human health. He believed that contact with animals was important for emotional well being, especially for children and older people. Referring to older people, he said: “Many elderly and lonely people have discovered that pets satisfy vital emotional needs...they can hang onto the world of reality, of cares, of human toil and sacrifice, and of intense emotional relationships by caring for an animal. Their concepts of themselves as worthwhile persons can be restored, even enhanced, by the assurance that the pets they care for love them in return.”

Subsequent studies have demonstrated that animal companionship confers health and social benefits for older people, including the maintenance of good physical and mental health.

Please note that the term “older people” is used in this article to describe any person over the age of 50, a definition also adopted by Age Concern. It is acknowledged, however, that this group is becoming increasingly diverse in terms of culture, ethnicity, experiences, income, wealth, etc., and that the issues facing people aged 55 may be quite different from those people aged 75+.

The benefits of companion animals for older people

One third of 65 to 75-year-old people live alone at home, and an animal companion can provide friendship, comfort and support, and encourage feelings of independence.

In caring for a pet, an older person has unique opportunities to nurture and be nurtured. Animals also provide a tactile focus – now recognised as important in maintenance of good health. The care routine for the pet also provides structure to the day: owners need to get up in the morning to check and feed the pets (many older pet owners choose to eat at the same time as their pets – especially if they live alone, and catering for pets reminds some owners that they too, should prepare a meal for themselves); dogs need to be exercised; pets need to be groomed; and so on.

Companion animals can also act as a social lubricant – it is very easy for neighbours and passers by to make conversation with people about their animals, thereby creating opportunities for social contact, which is particularly important for those people living alone. Many pet owners also talk to their animals, who make very attentive, non-judgemental listeners – and won’t repeat a word of any shared secret. An animal companion also helps to prevent people from becoming pre-occupied with self, and obsessing about ailments. Indeed, many people report feeling generally much better after chatting to their pets.

Recorded health benefits of pet ownership include:

Reduction in cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure, which are recognised risk factors for cardiovascular disease;
Increase in neurotransmitters – dopamine, phenylethylamine, and serotonin;
Improved survival following heart attack or stroke;
Improved calmness and better social interactions in people with dementia;
Better scores relating to activities of daily living (ADL);
Improved general health – fewer GP visits, reduction in prescriptions, increased alertness.

Many older people living independently acknowledge the positive influence of pet ownership, particularly if they have owned pets through their life. However, it is also the case that older people may choose not to take on a pet when they reach a certain age, for fear of not being able to take care of it properly as their own physical abilities deteriorate; or for fear of not having the financial resources necessary to meet feeding and veterinary costs; and sometimes for fear of loss – how they would feel when their pet dies and what would happen to their pet if they themselves were to die? Very often, older people who have these fears are unaware of services in the community that may assist with veterinary care, help with practical aspects such as walking dogs and pet-food delivery. Many are unaware of the existence of the Pet Bereavement Support Service, a free nationwide service to support those who have lost their pets. Advice is also available on appropriate pet selection – finding the best match for both the older person and the pet. Many of those who have fears about predeceasing pets will happily adopt an older animal – when they are made aware that there are always older pets awaiting adoption. Older animals are usually quiet and well behaved, making excellent companions for older people.

Older people, pets and housing

Pets in housing issues are hot topics in many countries and, more often than not, these issues affect older people in very real and distressing ways. Eviction notices were recently served on thousands of pet owners in Hong Kong. The housing authority had turned a blind eye to pet keeping for many years, but recently decided to enforce ‘no pet’ rules. Senior citizens threatened to live on the streets with their pets; an elderly gentleman committed suicide because he could not bear to be parted from his pet. Mass demonstrations were held and the public outcry caused the eviction notices to be revoked. A very similar situation, as yet unresolved, situation exists in Portsmouth where the local authority has operated a blind-eye policy for many years. Again, many older people are suffering extreme distress, and one man who could not cope has had his beloved cat euthanased. Portsmouth Council is now reviewing their policy.

Older people living in sheltered accommodation

One of the most challenging situations facing older people who own pets is when they move into sheltered accommodation.

Moving home is at any time a very stressful experience and this is compounded when an older person is forced to give up a much-loved pet when they move into sheltered accommodation. It is estimated that 140,000 people are being forced to give up their pets annually because of housing regulations. Generally, the view taken by housing authorities is that the disadvantages outweigh the benefits of pets. Where pet-keeping rules exist, they are often drawn up arbitrarily and applied inconsistently.

Having to give up a pet has other knock-on effects and also creates animal-welfare issues. Some of these animals are re-homed to friends or neighbours; some are surrendered to animal shelters; and some are euthanased.

Being forced to give up a pet in order to move to a more suitable home, places tremendous guilt on owners, some of whom do not recover and slip into depression. For veterinary surgeons, the most distressing consultations involve lonely, older people moving house who have been ordered to “get rid of that animal”. Older clients who have been told to dispose of their pets are invariably extremely distraught when in the veterinary consulting room. Because of the weeping and distress, it is difficult for them to explain the nature of their visit. Many experience breathing difficulties, chest pains, vomiting and retching, and report that they cannot eat or sleep.

Institutionally-based older people and animals

William Thomas MD, medical director of nursing homes in the USA, identified three basic needs often denied to nursing-home residents – companionship, opportunities to nurture and variety. To meet these needs, he developed a rich and diverse environment within his facilities incorporating many species of animals and birds, house and garden plants, and activities involving visiting children. He recorded a decrease in resident mortality, reduction in prescriptions for psychotropic medications, improved resident health, reduced staff turnover and financial savings. His ‘Edenising’ approach is being adopted by other nursing homes.

In the UK, there is increasing recognition within the health and social-care professions of the value of animal interaction for older residents, and animal contact is being increasingly introduced in long-stay institutions. Many residents enjoy regular visits from accredited therapy animals. There are currently over 4,000 registered therapy dogs in the UK. There are also a few therapy cats, rabbits, guinea pigs and a parrot. Many care homes have resident mascot animals. Some homes allow older people to be admitted with their pets, which usually settle in well. The Elder Accommodation Counsel has a national listing of homes and sheltered accommodation that permit pets.

Although these visiting schemes are successful and on the increase, there is still a lot of progress that can be made as many residents are still forced to give up a pet in order to enter a care home. A study by Dr McNicholas, a health psychologist, found that older people who had to give up their pets to enter care suffered greatly, and tended to be very difficult – the care-home staff were usually unaware that these residents had given up a pet to enter the home. She also found that some pet owners opted out of health and social-care provision in the community for fear of being admitted to a care home and parted from their pets.

Protecting the relationship between older people and their pets

Intuitively, we know that pets are good for older people and research evidence now corroborates this belief. It is important to protect the special relationship between older people and their pets, encouraging contact with pets as well as ensuring that their bond with a pet is not prematurely broken when moving house, through no choice of their own.

Anchor Trust, Britain’s largest provider of sheltered housing, provides an excellent example of good practice. Anchor has always operated a positive pets policy. In over 30 years they report that no problems have arisen that could not be resolved. Anchor believes that older people should be able to make lifestyle choices, including whether to keep a pet.

An approach that SCAS recommends to housing authorities is for pet-owning residents to set up a pet-keeping committee. Together with management, this committee draws up pet-keeping rules to ensure standards in pet keeping and animal welfare, and to protect the rights of non-pet owners. This committee advises new residents of the rules pertaining to pets, monitors pet owners, and cautions where necessary. Pet owners who refuse to comply are reported to the housing management.

SCAS feels, however, that the rights of older people to keep pets should be protected in law. We can benefit from examining laws enacted by other countries. For example, in the USA, the rights of older and disabled people to keep pets are now protected.

The Federal Pets in Housing Law was enacted in 1983 in recognition of irrefutable evidence about the health and social benefits conferred by animal companionship. Dr Tolliver, United States Commissioner on Aging said: “The opportunity for a human-animal bond is especially valuable for older people. As people grow older and the relationship and activities that once formed the centre of their lives seem to diminish, it becomes crucial to maintain as much normality and stability in their lives as possible. For many elderly people, a pet is a member of the family, often the only one left. It should not be beyond our ability to find ways to facilitate and support this rich relationship.”

Following legislation to introduce pets to sheltered housing in California, researchers from UC Davis conducted a longitudinal study to examine the effects of this decision. It was found that landlords, many of whom were originally against the legislation, found that the introduction of pets brought many benefits. Landlords felt that the quality of life of the residents was enriched – tenants became more co-operative and the presence of the pets helped to create a sense of community. The animals acted as social catalysts promoting conversations and friendships between the residents, many of whom became “animal aunts and uncles” – sharing the care of the pets. Landlords had expressed fears that the complexes would be overrun with animals, but only a minority chose to acquire a pet.

On a study trip to Arizona, I visited a very large sheltered-housing complex. The housing manager was so enthusiastic about the benefits of pets that he actively encouraged residents to adopt animals – and he drove them to the animal shelter himself to help them choose a suitable pet.

Interestingly, in the USA, if a landlord turns a blind eye to pet keeping for a few months, any no-pets clause becomes invalid.

In our ageing society, concerns are expressed about how our society will be able to properly provide for older people in the future. SCAS believes that companion animals can be part of the solution. The role of companion animals to support older people needs to be properly examined by the government and caring professions. Policies relating to pet keeping also need to be reviewed and revised.

Please note that details of all research, studies and statistics referred to in this article, can be obtained from SCAS.

A little about SCAS

The Society for Companion Animal Studies (SCAS) is a charity founded by a small group of researchers from the health and social-care professions in 1979. In the early days of SCAS, our principle raison d’etre was research. While we continue to encourage and fund research, education and training have become equally important activities as we strive to raise awareness about the human-companion animal bond.

Practitioner support has become another important focus, as an increasing number of practitioners join the society in order to learn how to plan and implement model programmes.

SCAS runs training courses, organises conferences, provides expert speakers, publishes a quarterly journal and produces publications on the human-companion animal bond.

In 2004, we will be publishing a handbook for the health and social-care professions and housing providers explaining the importance of the human-animal bond for older people, and how this can best be safeguarded.

SCAS can be contacted by telephone on 01993 825597 or by e-mail at: info@scas.org.uk.

Website: www.scas.org.uk