There’s yet another reason to love our furry friends. Charlie the Labrador Retriever may help reduce cognitive decline in older adults who live alone, a new study suggests.
The study, published in December 2023 in the journal JAMA Network Open, found
slower rates of decrease in verbal memory, verbal fluency and verbal cognition among older adults who live alone and own pets — namely dogs and cats — than those without pets. However, the same benefits weren’t seen in older adults living with other people.
The study’s authors, all from China’s Sun Yat-sen University, noted that it “remains unclear whether pet ownership is associated with cognitive decline and to what extent pet ownership mitigates the association between living alone and cognitive decline.”
The Pew Research Center reported in 2020 that 2
7% of American adults 60 and older live alone, and this figure is on the rise. Based on the Pew data, pet ownership would potentially benefit more than 20 million Americans.
Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that
11% of American adults 45 and older experience cognitive decline. Among older adults with cognitive decline, 29% live alone, according to the CDC.
Aside from thinking and remembering, cognitive decline can affect things like doing household chores, socializing, taking medication and working outside the home, says the CDC.
“Loneliness is a potential mediator in the association of living alone with dementia among older adults. Contrary to living alone, pet ownership … is related to reduced loneliness, an important risk factor for dementia and cognitive decline,” the study says. “However, the association between pet ownership and the rate of cognitive decline has not been fully explored, and the existing findings remain controversial.”
The study’s authors emphasize that no current therapy effectively reverses cognitive decline or treats dementia.
“Thus, identifying high-risk populations and modifiable risk factors is crucial for formulating public health interventions and promoting healthy aging,” the authors wrote.
Earlier study also shows benefits of pet ownership for preventing cognitive decline
A
study released in 2022 produced similar findings as the JAMA Network Open study.
The earlier study, presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, concluded that owning a pet — particularly for at least five years — may be tied to slower cognitive decline in older adults.
“Prior studies have suggested that the
human-animal bond may have health benefits like decreasing blood pressure and stress,” study author Dr. Tiffany Braley of the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor said in a news release. “Our results suggest pet ownership may also be protective against cognitive decline.”
They study examined cognitive data from 1,369 older adults (average age of 65) who had normal cognitive skills at the outset of the study. More than half (53%) owned pets, and nearly one-third (32%) were long-term pet owners. The data came from a study of Medicare recipients.
Researchers relied on the data to develop a composite cognitive score for each person, ranging from 0 to 27. The composite score included common tests of subtraction, counting and word recall. Using participants’ composite cognitive scores, researchers estimated the connection between years of pet ownership and cognitive function.
Over the course of six years, cognitive scores fell at a slower rate among pet owners. This was particularly true among long-term pet owners. Taking into account other factors affecting cognitive function, the study showed that the average long-term pet owners earned a cognitive composite score that was 1.2 points higher at the six-year point compared with people who didn’t own pets.
“As stress can negatively affect cognitive function, the potential stress-buffering effects of pet ownership could provide a plausible reason for our findings,” Braley says. “A companion animal can also increase physical activity, which could benefit cognitive health. That said, more research is needed to confirm our results and identify underlying mechanisms for this association.”
Pet ownership tips for older adults
If you’re an older adult who wants a pet or already owns one, here are some tips to help keep you out of the pet owner doghouse:
1. Adopt a pet
So, if you’re new to pet ownership, consider adopting a pet rather than buying one. Every year, an estimated 3.1 million are dogs and 3.2 million cats wind up in animal shelters,
according to the ASPCA. Sadly, shelters euthanize 390,000 dogs and 530,000 cats each year.
2. Budget for pet expenses
On average, it costs $1,391 to care for a dog and $1,149 to care for a cat, the ASPCA says. Therefore, it’s vital to carve out room in your household budget for Lola the dog or Luna the cat.
3. Consider pet insurance
Let’s say your dog Lola is diagnosed with cancer or your cat Luna is diagnosed with kidney disease. Just as with humans, the medical bills for treating various pet diseases and accidents can run into the thousands of dollars.
Pet insurance can help ease the burden of veterinary expenses. An
analysis by Forbes Advisor shows the average pet insurance policy costs $576 per year for dogs and $336 per year for cats.
4. Prepare for the commitment
Before deciding to welcome a pet into your home, be sure you’re mentally and physically ready to care for your furry friend. Depending on the type of pet, you’ll be responsible for feeding, walking, grooming and other tasks.
Owning a pet can bring a lot of joy when you’re an older adult, but keep in mind that you’re caring for another life — a life that depends on you.
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