You’ve probably noticed that when you pet a soft, warm cat or
play fetch with a dog whose tail won’t stop wagging, you relax
and your heart feels a little warmer. Scientists have noticed
the same thing, and they’ve started to explore the complex way
animals affect human emotions and physiology. The resulting
studies have shown that owning and handling animals
significantly benefits health, and not just for the young. In
fact, pets may help elderly owners live longer, healthier, and
more enjoyable lives. A study published in the Journal of the
American Geriatrics Society in May of 1999 demonstrated that
independently living seniors that have pets tend to have better
physical health and mental wellbeing than those that don’t.
They’re more active, cope better with stress, and have better
overall health. A 1997 study showed that elderly pet owners had
significantly lower blood pressure overall than their
contemporaries without pets. In fact, an experimental
residential home for the elderly called the Eden Alterna