Walking dogs reduces risk of physical and cognitive impairments, study finds

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Elderly people who are dog owners have a lower risk of developing cognitive and physical disabilities in old age, reveals a study published in the scientific journal Plos One.

This is because animals require regular walks, which generates the habit of practicing some physical activity, in addition to greater social interaction. If tutors don’t walk with the animals, or practice other exercises at least once a week, there are not the same benefits. Cats, according to the researchers, do not provide the same protection.

The survey collected information about the pet experience of 11,233 people aged 65-84 and tracked the development of cognitive and physical impairments in participants for 3.5 years between 2016 and 2020 in Japan.

Within the sample, 13.8% were currently tutors of dogs or cats; 29.5% reported having lived with one of the two animals at one time and 56.8% had never been tutors.

During the study period, 17.1% of participants developed some physical or cognitive disability and 5.2% died.

Compared to the group of elderly people who never had a dog as a pet, the researchers found that those who did had a significantly lower risk of experiencing a decline and therefore more likely to have a healthy aging.

Variables such as gender, age, family size, marital status, education, income, history of chronic diseases and hospitalization, smoking, consumption of alcoholic beverages, physical activity and interaction with neighbors were considered.

healthy aging

From a geriatric point of view, there is no doubt that having a pet is beneficial for the elderly, according to Marcelo Altona, a geriatrician at Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein. “To be able to take care of an animal, this elderly person probably has better living conditions, takes better care of his health, is physically active, has a wider social circle and is in full condition”, says the specialist.

Also, the person who takes care of a dog, in general, has greater socialization when they go for a walk with the animal. “This daily occupation can be as or more interesting than doing a volunteer activity,” he explains.

This does not mean that the elderly will be shielded from any and all declines. According to Altona, the cognitive aging process is normal and small changes happen to everyone. For example, an impact on the memorization of new information is common, as the processing speed is slower, in addition to some activities being practiced more slowly.

According to the specialist, if the elderly person cannot carry out something they were used to with the same commitment, it may be the beginning of dementia.

“We consider the onset of cognitive decline when there is a loss of at least two domains. Among the main ones are memory, ability to understand activities, executive function, orientation in time and space, word recognition and attention . If there is a functional impact, it is necessary to investigate the cause. When we talk about a decline in the cognitive domain, it is essential to minimize this natural loss of aging. And when deciding to take care of an animal, the elderly person will probably take better care of themselves”, adds the doctor.

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