Effects of pet therapy on the quality of life of the elderly population

Running head : EFFECTS OF PET THERAPY ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE ELDERLY POPULATION

Effects of pet therapy on the quality of life of the elderly population

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Introduction

There is evidence that human benefit in physical , physiological and emotional welfare by spending their time with pets . Pets like dogs can be used to make the human 's mental and physical healthy better . Research findings establish a positive relationship between pet ownership with low risk of heart disease

, less depression , low blood pressure and cholesterol , and ease of the owners to know people , as compared to those who don 't own a pet . Those people who spend time with pets may not even realize what they are getting in return . Surprisingly , research findings even find a relationship between health expenditure savings amounting to 2 .2 billion with ownership of cats and dogs in Australia (RSPCA 2009

Amanda Ellen (2009 ) have found that the pet therapy improved behavioral outcomes and was beneficial to hospitalized patients . Because this intervention is low-tech and of low-cost , it can be applied to help in the modern systems which continue to experience escalated health costs and where many cannot afford some medical care

Problem and purpose of the study

The current research focuses on short-term (6 months or less ) pet therapy . However , study on impacts of pet therapy on long-term basis and especially on the elderly , may help in providing help for the elderly who suffer from...