Pet Ownership Slows Cognitive Decline in Older Adults Living Alone, Study Finds

The protective effect of pet ownership was not observed in those living with others, underscoring the potential role of pets in providing social and emotional support.

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.