Pet ownership may provide older adults with a plethora of unexpected benefits. While there are several benefits to pet ownership for older individuals, there are also particular hurdles when bringing your pet to an assisted living community, such as a lack of room and stringent pet regulations in some communities. Read on as we cover some things to consider when you bring a pet to assisted living communities.
Benefits
Bringing a pet not only eases the transition from living at home to living in an assisted living community, but it also has health benefits for older persons. Here are some of the benefits:
- More sense of purpose
- Reduced stress
- Less loneliness, anxiety, and depression
- More social interaction
- Decreased risk of heart attacks
Risks
While there are several advantages to keeping, introducing, or adopting a pet in an assisted living community, there are certain risks that should be addressed:
- Conflicts Between Residents: Not all older adults appreciate animals and having a pet may cause conflict in some scenarios.
- Liability: Pets that are used to living in a single-family house may react unexpectedly to being so near to other animals and humans. Residents may be held liable if their pet causes damage to another person’s property, another animal, or injures another resident.
- Inability to Provide Adequate Care: Older adults who enter an assisted living community sometimes do so due to deteriorating health or mobility. There is a significant danger that a person may be unable to appropriately care for their pet as they age.
- Cost: Pets are costly. Aside from the continuous costs of feeding and grooming the animal, the cost of veterinarian care and any necessary medication should be addressed.
Common Policies
Not all assisted living communities allow pets to be kept by residents, but those that do will have rules that residents will have to follow. Here are some of the most typical policies and restrictions regarding pets imposed by pet-friendly communities:
- Vaccinations: Residents are frequently requested to present proof of vaccinations before bringing a pet into the community.
- Noise and Behavior Complaints: Many communities have policies in place to deal with complaints about noise or harmful conduct. If a specific number of complaints are made and the conduct does not change, the pet may be forced to leave the community.
- Age and Training Requirements: Pets are usually expected to be at least one year old and house-trained.
- Breed and Temperament: Many communities prohibit certain dog breeds, such as pit bulls. The pet must also have a calm temperament.
- Deposit: Residents who bring pets may be required to pay an extra, refundable deposit.
Choose Discovery Village At Dominion
We endeavor to give our residents convenience and comfort so that they can have a healthy, meaningful life at Discovery Village At Dominion. Residents who have pets are welcome to bring them to our world-class retirement community. We understand how much animals mean to our residents. Residents may look forward to living here with their cherished pets and new friends.
