Seniors For Living

If you have ever been a pet owner, you understand how easily the animal(s) become a part of your family. Why then would we expect seniors with pets to easily leave their precious companions behind when making a senior care transition?

Recognizing the far-reaching benefits, more senior living providers are allowing pets to accompany residents, or bringing in community pets so they can enjoy the companionship of animals without the responsibility. Says Tami Cumings in this article from The Shreveport Times, “as many as 40 percent of people ask about pets” when calling A Place for Mom, the senior living referral service of which she is the senior vice president.

Specializing in assisted living and Alzheimer’s care, West Coast provider Silverado Senior Living is especially innovative in their pet therapy programming and offerings. Baby kangaroos, chinchillas, and miniature horses may be found at many Silverado communities, and most pets (that meet the provider’s standards and policies) are permitted in the resident rooms and apartments.

Typically, senior living communities prefer small pets and grant admission to no more than two furry, scaly or feathery friends.

Read more about pet therapy in senior living — its benefits and the variety of shapes and forms — here at the blog.