Overview

• Pet ownership has been linked to slower rates of cognitive decline in older adults living alone, according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open.
• The research, conducted using data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, focused on a subset of 7,945 participants, whose average age was 66 years.
• The study found that pet ownership was associated with a slower rate of decline in verbal memory and fluency among older adults living alone.
• However, the protective effect of pet ownership was not observed in those living with others, suggesting the potential role of pets in providing social and emotional support.
• The researchers concluded that randomized clinical trials are needed to assess whether pet ownership slows the rate of cognitive decline in older adults living alone.