June is National Adopt A Cat Month and now is a fantastic time for seniors to consider adopting a cat. Even if your senior parent has never had a cat before they can get all of the many benefits that come from adopting a cat. And there are always plenty of cats in rescues and shelters that need good homes. Their home care aides can provide assistance in the pet’s care as well as help your senior.
You and your senior parent may not realize all of the big physical and mental health benefits that seniors can get from sharing their homes with a cat such as:
Lower Blood Pressure
Did you know that petting a cat can lower your blood pressure? It’s true. Seniors who have high blood pressure can help keep their blood pressure under control by petting their cats daily. The more time they spend petting a cat the better their blood pressure will be. Try it and see. Petting a cat can also lower the risk of developing high blood pressure if your senior parent doesn’t already have high blood pressure. It’s very relaxing and soothing to pet a cat, especially when the cat is purring.
Stress Relief
Stress and anxiety have a very big impact on a senior’s health. But having a cat can reduce stress and improve anxiety. Seniors who spend time petting cats and spending time with cats have lower rates of stress and improved mood compared to seniors that don’t. And when your senior parent has less stress they will have less inflammation and lower amounts of the stress hormone cortisol. Having too much cortisol can make anxiety and existing health conditions worse. There aren’t a lot of ways to naturally lower the amount of cortisol in the body but spending time with cats and petting cats can reduce the amount of cortisol that your senior loved one has.
Provide Companionship
Another major problem for seniors is loneliness. Loneliness can lead to stress, anxiety, depression, heart disease, high blood pressure, and other serious health problems. Home care can help seniors by providing some companionship, but having a cat is a wonderful way to provide around-the-clock companionship for a senior parent. If your senior parent chooses a senior cat that is a real couch potato the two of them can hang out together all the time. You will see a noticeable difference in your senior parent’s health once they adopt a cat and have a cat companion.
Low Maintenance
Cats are very low maintenance pets. The most difficult aspect of taking care of a cat is probably scooping the litter box each day. But seniors who have home care will have the help they need with things like cleaning the litter box, shopping for cat food and litter and making sure that the cat’s bowls and dishes are clean and sanitized. If your senior parent’s cat has a water fountain, which vets recommend, home care providers can also make sure that the fountain is cleaned and refilled regularly for your senior parent’s cat.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Home Care Services near Newtown CT, please call and talk to our friendly and dedicated staff. (203) 744-8380
Home Care Advantage provides quality Non-Medical Home Care for seniors and families in Danbury, Bethel, Easton, Newtown, Redding, Ridgefield, Southbury, Weston, Westport, Wilton, and surrounding areas.
With over 25 years of healthcare experience working with seniors, our model and approach to non-medical home care services are straightforward, providing you with the compassionate care you deserve. Providing care from the heart is what we are all about; we proactively work with you and your family to develop a care plan designed to meet your specific need for assistance and budget.
In addition to having an extensive work background in healthcare, my recent educational experience allowed me to earn my Doctorate Degree in public healthcare. This achievement enhanced my knowledge of the ever-evolving healthcare delivery system and heightened my awareness that you cannot go it alone to get the best outcome. Additionally, I have seen how some of my family members struggled and were overwhelmed with ensuring that their parents were safe and their needs were met. They did not know who to trust or where to turn for reliable and affordable help. I have made it our mission to be part of the solution allowing seniors to remain independent and be treated with the respect they deserve.
We are committed to providing excellent care for our clients, just as we would care for members of our own families. Please be assured that I will use my knowledge and background to protect and be a trusted resource for seniors and their families.
You can be confident that our caregivers are carefully screened, dependable, and selectively chosen to meet the specific needs of our clients. They are experienced and highly trained to provide excellent quality care and follow a strict professional code of conduct and ethics.
Our caregivers are competitively paid directly by our agency; there is no additional charge to you. Home Care Advantage files Social Security/Medicare, Federal and State Withholding Tax, and Unemployment Insurance for our employees. Workers’ compensation insurance and a fidelity bond cover the caregivers and supervisory staff.
Our caregivers are here for you and will work hard to assist you with your specific needs in the comfort of your own home. It is said that “Home is where the heart is.” Let Home Care Advantage provide care that will enrich your life and help you maintain an independent lifestyle in the comfort of your own home, “where you want to be.” Call us now! We look forward to working with you and your family.
Dr. Beverly J. Ruekberg, DHP, MPH, MA, Ed.
President/Geriatric Care Manager
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