Be.Well by Medica 2021 Medicare Summer Issue

On the flip side, daily dog walks could improve your health. In 2017, Scientific Reports published a 12-year study of more than 3.4 million Swedish adults. Among the findings: Dog owners had a lower risk of death due to heart disease. The results were even more striking for dog owners who lived alone — they had an 11 percent lower risk of heart attacks and a 33 percent lower risk of dying compared to single people who didn’t own dogs. Companionship matters Other studies have pointed out the health benefits of practically any type of pet — cats, birds, rabbits, even fish. The common thread: Pets offer companionship, something many of us lack as we grow older. What’s more, the act of simply taking care of an animal can provide a strong sense of purpose. And you don’t necessarily have to own a pet to enjoy the benefits. For example, you could foster an animal until it finds a permanent home. Ormaybe pet-sit for your friends on occasion.

Finding your pet Once you’ve decided to take the plunge, what’s next? One option is Petfinder.com, which is a directory of nearly 11,000 U.S. animal shelters and adoption organizations. Local shelters have pets looking for loving homes (although many of their populations are down due to the heavy demand of the past year). And Petfinder.com also offers an option if you want to foster a pet. Pet stores are typically fine for birds and fish, but the Humane Society of the United States strongly recommends against buying dogs from them — unless the store sources dogs from local animal shelters.

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