Seniors may find comfort and companionship in their pets, but caring for them may be a challenge to some. Fortunately, there are many options for seniors to find assistance in the care for their pets.
- 1. Pet Sitters- Soliciting the aid of a pet sitter to come to the home and help to care for their pets has become more and more popular among senior citizens. Pet sitters can help with anything from walking their beloved pets, playing with them, feeding, grooming, as well as administering medication. Seniors can search for a pet sitter locally through various outlets such as: websites like www.petsit.com and www.petsitters.org , yellow pages, or contacting the Better Business Bureau.
- 2. Mobile Veterinarians- The availability of mobile veterinarians who offer house visits is on the rise due to pet owners’ needs for convenience. Most cities offer a variety of choices in mobile veterinarians for senior citizens to choose from. Mobile vets can pay house visits to perform everything from vaccinations to diagnosis and treatment of various illnesses.
- 3. Pet Supplies Online- Many pet owners, including senior citizens, find that ordering their pets’ food and medication online for delivery to their homes saves them time and trouble. Most major pet stores, veterinarians, and various other vendors offer pet and food supplies to be purchased online.
- 4. Preparation- One of the best ways to help senior citizens to best care for their pets is by preparation and prevention. For example, maintaining a pets’ healthy weight instead of allowing a pet to become obese will prevent further medical complications down the road, which may become difficult for an elderly person to manage. Also, talking about and planning for a pets’ future is important for senior citizens, so that they may have peace-of-mind in the event that they are no longer able to care for their beloved pet. Assigning a long-term or permanent caregiver in advance is always best.
Information provided by Global Animal Foundation. For more information on how to best assist the elderly with the care of their pets, visit www.globalanimal.org .