As we’ve experienced first hand at Wise Woofs, there is no substitute for a dog’s love. Their pure, unconditional support for us is different than humans can offer. Dogs, cats, and other domesticated animals have a special place in our lives, influencing both mental and physical health. Scientists have taken notice and are investigating the profound effects of the human-animal bond with greater focus. Here we look at the findings from studies exploring the impact of having a pet on older adults related to loneliness in the context of Covid-19 and loss of a loved one.
The Benefits of a Best Friend
There’s no denying Covid-19 had a significant negative impact on the social lives of older adults but having pets proved helpful in dealing with symptoms of loneliness. Their presence provided companionship during pandemic restrictions that lead to social isolation. It’s important to note that increased amounts of isolation are associated with health risks, especially among older individuals.
The method used to track this data was OLS regression methods, or Ordinary Least Squares. It determined correlations between COVID-19 restrictions and a rise in loneliness.
Studies of older adults in the U.S. and Australia confirmed that individuals over 60 years of age were particularly prone to loneliness during COVID-19 restrictions. Despite the mortality risks and restrictions on social behaviors due to COVID-19, not all elders have experienced the same degree of negative consequences from the pandemic.
Older people with pets may have maintained well being despite restrictions on in-person interactions due to this companionship. Having a personal relationship with an animal creates feelings of compassion, sympathy and empathetic association.
This is demonstrated by caring for your pets which is also a big part of caring for yourself. A prime example is taking our pups for a walk! The repeated activity has many physical benefits correlated to mental health, adds to the diversity of our daily experiences, and can increase social interaction with other people as you stroll through the neighborhood. Walking your dog more than once a day significantly improves wellness amongst their older owners. Having dogs also improves long term health as it has been shown to reduce levels of depression, anxiety and stress. Stress reduction is the most robust association related to human–animal interaction and older adults’ health and wellbeing.
Walking was significantly associated with changes in loneliness. Those who did not walk their dog or did not have a dog reported about a 0.4 standard increase in loneliness during COVID-19. However, those who regularly walked their dog (at least once per day) experienced no significant increase in loneliness, with similar symptoms as those who had no social consequences of COVID-19.
The study proved the benefits of pets in comparison to the well-being of older humans. It indicated that in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, many older adults experienced significant setbacks regarding their social connection with others – Regularly walking a dog was protective against this. Replication of similar studies can be done to investigate and evaluate psychological benefits of dog walking for other things such as sadness.
The biopsychosocial model is an excellent framework to explain potential mental benefits related to pets in the context of COVID-19. The model emphasizes the interplay of the biological, psychological, and sociological factors defining one’s health further proving pets have the potential to buffer psychological health consequences.
Pets Help with Loss and Grief
In later life, the loss of a spouse due to divorce or widowhood is common, often leading to elevated depressive symptoms and loneliness. Research suggests that a companion animal (CA) may be beneficial for psychological health.
A study by Dawn Carr and associated published in 2020 examined changes in psychological health among CA owners and non-owners who experienced a social loss compared with those who did not experience a loss. The study compared individuals’ experiences with one of the two types of major social losses: spousal loss due to divorce or death.
These two losses were selected because they strongly influence the close ties of middle-aged and older adults’ social support structures and social network connections. The research examines differences in the effects of social loss for those with and without a pet (i.e., a dog or a cat) at the time of the loss.
Although both parties (i.e., with pet and no pet) both experienced significant increases in depressive waves when presented with any type of loss. The experiment showed those with a pet accumulated significantly fewer depressive symptoms. In the end the results indicated similar driving factors for these differences in the ability to cope during a difficult time with the impact of having pets during COVID-19.
Overall, individuals often report emotional benefits from pets. This is why CA’s, ESA’s, Service Dogs and all pets (especially dogs!!) have the possibility to change someone’s life.
