Grace Hazzard

Aging: Finding Companionship and More in Dogs

Growing older can cause loneliness, isolation, depression, anxiety, high blood pressure, heart problems or diseases, higher stress, brain changes, faster cognitive decline, decreased memory, and a higher chance of drug abuse. As we grow older, how do we combat this? From 1998 to 2019 the number of people in the United States owning a dog went up 56%. The American Pet Products Association reported that 63.4 million households in the United States own dogs, according to their National Pet Owners Survey. Other than their obvious popularity and cute factor, owning a dog can benefit older adults in many ways.