By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Although pets bring many mental and physical health benefits, some older adults find caring for their cat or dog more challenging than it used to be.
Fortunately, area resources can make it easier for them to enjoy their pets and keep up with their animals’ care.
Quishara Williams, public relations assistant with Erie County Department of Senior Services, stressed the importance of “maintaining good hygiene, having the ability to keep pets healthy with vet checkups, vaccines and regular feeding and exercise,” all of which can become more challenging if physical ability diminishes with age.
One way to mitigate these difficulties is to find help with pet care. Many companies offer non-medical domestic services for older adults and will complete basic pet care tasks. Typically, seeking pet care alone isn’t cost-effective. However, as an add-on service, it’s affordable. Many of these kinds of services will scoop cat litter, clean pet dishes and convey a pet to the vet or groomer.
“There are a lot of services like pet walking to walk the dog or doggy daycare where you can drop the dog off for supervised playtime and activity where the older adult may not be able to get down,” said Tracy Fricano Chalmers, director of Public Health Planning and Emergency Preparedness for Niagara County Department of Health. “Older kids in the neighborhood may be able to walk the dog or change the litter or clean pet waste. There are also services that will pick up dog waste. You could always put less litter in the box with more boxes throughout the house.”
That strategy would make the box easier to dump out.
Buying the right products can also help, such as lightweight litter or small packages of litter if carrying 25-pound containers is too difficult. Clumping litter can reduce the frequency of lifting a full litterbox to dump it, as it’s easier to scoop out soiled clumps and conserve the remaining clean litter. Many online companies like Chewy.com will regularly deliver products right to the doorstep, reducing the need to heft bags of food and litter.
If tight finances make it difficult to keep a pet, those who receive Meals on Wheels ask about receiving pet food as well.
Chalmers said that many food pantries also stock pet food.
“There are a lot of services available in the community for people struggling to keep pets,” Chalmers said. “We don’t like to ever see finances get in the way of keeping a pet.”
Most county health departments offer rabies clinics and some stores such as Country Max host periodic low-cost clinics for basic preventative care.
Some vets and groomers offer house calls for people who struggle to transport their pet because they no longer drive or because of the pet’s size.
In addition, the home set-up can make caring for pets easier. For example, a dog run can help with taking the animal outside to eliminate rather than walking it on a leash.
Inside, reduce the risk of slips and trips by “making sure the food dishes are out of the way and that spilled water is mopped up,” Chalmers said. “Toys should be kept out of the way to avoid tripping. I tell people to avoid retractable leashes as they can get tangled around things.”
Sometimes, the pet itself can contribute to falls. Chalmers recommends selecting medium-sized dogs, as often tiny dogs tend to get underfoot, and large ones can bowl over someone struggling with balance. Attaching a small bell to a cat’s collar and having the dog wear its collar with jingling tags can help owners know where their pet is.
“If seniors have balance issues or if they’re more at risk of being knocked over, they should sit in a chair to interact with a pet, not bend over,” she added.