By: Carla Hu, Human Biology Health and Society ‘2026
Do you love your pets? Your answer, if you have pets, should hopefully be yes. Animal companions have been found to be able to provide emotional and physical support to their owners [1]. Beyond yourself, have you ever wondered if pets could help people, such as elderly individuals, in maintaining or even preventing cognitive decline? This question is the focus of this article. Cognition is defined by the ability of individuals to be functionally independent [2]. For example, individuals should be able to manage their own finances, travel safely, and take their prescribed medication. As we age, our cognitive abilities decline, and this can be accelerated by dementia and neurodegenerative diseases [2]. A common illness that affects elderly individuals is Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), often a precursor to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease [3]. According to researchers, approximately 10 - 20% of individuals over 65 years old with MCI develop dementia over a one-year period [3]. The population of Americans over the age of 65 is expected to more than double over the next 40 years, so there is growing necessity to develop preventative measures to protect against MCI [4]. Currently, the most common preventative measures against MCI include sleep, improving diet, and increasing exercise. While these measures are supported by various studies, few current studies consider the effects of pet ownership on MCI [5]. The novel studies on animal companionship as a therapeutic strategy for MCI have recently gained recognition as they reveal pets may be the next step to maintaining and improving cognitive function.
A recent study published at the end of 2023 based on the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA) found that cognitive decline is slower in older adults who had pets [6]. The BLSA is the longest running study for human aging in America funded by the National Institute on Aging [7]. In order to understand the cognitive benefits of having a pet, the study looked at how support from a pet can benefit the lifestyles of elderly individuals within the social, biological, and psychological realms. According to data from the Health ABC Study and the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), it was found that individuals with pet ownership exercised more than non-owners and had less visits to healthcare professionals [8]. In order for elderly individuals to care for pets, they have to maintain a lifestyle that provides positive benefits such as increased physical activity and companionship [8]. Much of the pet ownership lifestyle relates to the common preventative measures against MCI, and in animal therapy, pet interactions decrease agitation while increasing social behaviors in cognitively impaired elderly individuals [8]. However, these benefits from pet ownership relies on the physical and mental ability of elderly individuals, and individuals living in extended care facilities may struggle to access opportunities to own or care for pets.
In many extended care facilities, allowing short term pet visits as therapeutic animals is a common practice to improve stress levels and positive feelings of elderly individuals [8]. However, for individuals living alone or suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, it is often more challenging for them to take advantage of pet companionship opportunities without outside assistance. The issue reported most often by elderly individuals in a study looking at potential limitations of pet ownership for the elderly was being able to access pet care items [9]. The solution for this problem has been found in using technology to imitate the effects of pets: a seal shaped robotic pet that could fit in an individual’s lap is known as PARO® [10]. This robotic pet specifically targets individuals with dementia who are unable to own a pet. Studies using the PARO® robot technology found decreased stress and anxiety in patients, and even lower reliance on medications, revealing multifaceted ways for technology to improve the health of elderly individuals [10]. Currently, there is limited research on the long-term benefits or preventative abilities of robotic therapeutic devices such as PARO®, but it reveals a viable nontraditional option for MCI prevention or improvement [10]. The implementation of these forms of elderly healthcare devices could give elderly individuals who are often the most vulnerable and isolated the opportunity to bond socially, physically, and psychologically with a pet companion without the health risks and physical limitations.
Ultimately, while recent longitudinal studies such as the BLSA reveal that we should consider alternative measures for preventing MCI, we should also be aware of complexities which come with providing these opportunities for elderly individuals. Pet ownership has many benefits for cognitive function physically and psychologically, but individuals living alone or requiring specialized care could potentially benefit from robotic versions of pet companionship, in addition to recognizing the long-term benefits of pet therapy. The recognition of pet ownership as beneficial to healthy aging can create a mutually beneficial environment where patients may engage with more preventative or treating measures relating to MCI, in addition to the recommended medical treatments from health professionals. By implementing more pet ownership opportunities for our elderly individuals, we are able to provide a unique form of care which many elderly individuals currently are unable to access, but we must continue down this path to address further improvements in elderly healthcare in order to provide adequate MCI treatments and prevention for our future.
References
1. Brooks H. L., Rushton K., Lovell K., Bee P., Walker L., Grant L., Rogers A., (2018) The power of support from companion animals for people living with mental health problems: a systematic review and narrative synthesis of the evidence. BMC Psychiatry. 5;18(1):31. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-018-1613-2.
2. Murman, D. (2015). The Impact of Age on Cognition. Seminars in Hearing, 36(03), 111–121. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0035-1555115
3. What Is Mild Cognitive Impairment? (n.d.). National Institute on Aging. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/memory-loss-and-forgetfulness/what-mild-cognitive-impairment
4. Vincent, G. K., Velkoff V. A., (2010). The next four decades: the older population in the United States: 2010 to 2050 Washington, DC: U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration, U.S. Census Bureau. http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS126596.
5. Zhao, C., Noble, J. M., Marder, K., Hartman, J. S., Gu, Y., & Scarmeas, N. (2018). Dietary Patterns, Physical Activity, Sleep, and Risk for Dementia and Cognitive Decline. Current Nutrition Reports, 7(4), 335–345. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13668-018-0247-9
6. Friedmann, E., Gee, N. R., Simonsick, E. M., Kitner-Triolo, M. H., Resnick, B., Adesanya, I., Koodaly, L., & Gurlu, M. (2023). Pet ownership and maintenance of cognitive function in community-residing older adults: evidence from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA). Scientific Reports, 13(1), 14738. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-41813-y
7. The Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. (n.d.). National Institute on Aging. https://www.nia.nih.gov/research/labs/blsa
8. Cherniack, E. P., & Cherniack, A. R. (2014). The Benefit of Pets and Animal-Assisted Therapy to the Health of Older Individuals. Current Gerontology and Geriatrics Research, 2014, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/623203
9. Bibbo, J., Johnson, J., Drost, J. C., Sanders, M., & Nicolay, S. (2022). Pet ownership issues encountered by geriatric professionals: Preliminary findings from an interdisciplinary sample. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.920559
10. Geva, N., Uzefovsky, F., & Levy-Tzedek, S. (2020). Touching the social robot PARO reduces pain perception and salivary oxytocin levels. Scientific Reports, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-66982-y
11. Curl, A. L., Bibbo, J., & Johnson, R. A. (2016). Dog Walking, the Human–Animal Bond and Older Adults’ Physical Health. The Gerontologist, 57(5), gnw051. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnw051
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