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Pet ownership and its influence on mental health in older adults

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Pet ownership and its influence on mental healthin older adults

Genieve Zhe Hui Gan, Anne-Marie Hill, Polly Yeung, Sharon Keesing & JulieAnne Netto

To cite this article: Genieve Zhe Hui Gan, Anne-Marie Hill, Polly Yeung, Sharon Keesing & JulieAnne Netto (2019): Pet ownership and its influence on mental health in older adults, Aging & MentalHealth, DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2019.1633620

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Pet ownership and its influence on mental health in older adults

Genieve Zhe Hui Gana, Anne-Marie Hillb , Polly Yeungc , Sharon Keesinga and Julie Anne Nettoa

aSchool of Occupational Therapy, Social Work and Speech Pathology, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Australia; bSchool ofPhysiotherapy and Exercise Science, Curtin University, Perth, Australia; cSchool of Social Work, Massey University College of Health,Palmerston North, New Zealand

ABSTRACTObjectives: With aging, older adults are at risk of a decline in mental health as they experience signifi-cant life stressors that are specific to later life. It is thus important to explore the potential of suitableapproaches that promote healthy aging, to address the mental health needs of older adults. Pet owner-ship has been found to be associated with positive mental health outcomes; however, there is limitedresearch on the lived experience and meaning derived from pet ownership. The purpose of this studywas to explore pet ownership in community-dwelling older adults and its influence on mental health.Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 community-dwelling older adultswho were aged 65 and above and pet owners. Participants were interviewed individually on a sin-gle occasion about the meaning derived from the role of pet ownership and howthey perceivedthat their pet influenced their mental health.Results: Results were analysed using Colaizzi’s phenomenological framework and four themesemerged from the interviews: pets provide (i) comfort and safety; (ii) social inclusion and participa-tion; (iii) purposeful routine and structure; and (iv) a meaningful role.Conclusion: These findings suggest that the role of pet ownership may benefit community-dwell-ing older adults by providing companionship, giving a sense of purpose and meaning, reducingloneliness and increasing socialisation. These benefits may also increase resilience in older adultsagainst mental health disorders, which may positively influence their mental health outcomes.

ARTICLE HISTORYReceived 21 March 2019Accepted 3 June 2019

KEYWORDSPet ownership; mentalhealth; older adults; well-being; aging

Introduction

There is a worldwide increase in aging population at pre-sent, with more people expected to live to their sixties andbeyond (World Health Organisation [WHO], 2018). The cur-rent global average life expectancy is approximately71 years and is projected to rise to 77 years in the years2045 and 2050 (United Nations [UN], 2017). These add-itional years added to life provide opportunities for olderadults to be autonomous and purposeful within a just anddignified environment (Irving, Davis, & Collier, 2017; Lyonset al., 2017; WHO, 2018). However, the ageing process isalso associated with a growing risk of decline in mentalhealth as older adults experience life stressors common inlater life, which can lead to loneliness and greater depend-ency on others for social and emotional needs (Lyons et al.,2017; McNicholas, 2014; Toohey, Hewson, Adams, & Rock,2018; WHO, 2018). Between 10% and 40% of older adultsdevelop mental health conditions as a result of experienc-ing life stressors common in later life (Lyons et al., 2017;Scott, Mackenzie, Chipperfield, & Sareen, 2010; Wang,Kearney, Jia, & Shang, 2016). Pets have been found to havea pivotal role in providing a range of mental health bene-fits (Enmarker, Hellz�en, Ekker, & Berg, 2012; Stanley,Conwell, Bowen, & Van Orden, 2014) to protect againstloneliness and depressive symptoms (Barker & Wolen, 2008,Garrity, Stallones, Marx, & Johnson, 1989; Stanley, Conwell,Bowen, & Van Orden, 2014). While there are benefits ofpets and human-animal interactions, understanding thecontext of pet ownership in older age will help societies,

governments, and organisations to seek strategies to helpolder adults maintain their mental and physical health.

Pet ownership and health in later life

There is strong evidence that owning a pet may have a range ofmental health benefits for the individual, especially older adults(Bakerjian, 2014; Cutt, Giles-Corti, Wood, Knuiman, & Burke,2008; Enmarker et al., 2012; Gee, Mueller, & Curl, 2017;McNicholas, 2014; Stanley et al., 2014). Australia, UnitedKingdom and the United States of America have one of thehighest household rate of pet ownership (Green, Kangas, &Fairholm, 2018; Insurance Information Institute, 2018; PetSecure, 2018; Richmond, 2013). Approximately 60–68% of allhousehold contain a pet and 48% of the older Australian adultsown a pet (Pet Secure, 2018; Richmond, 2013). Owning a pethas been found to be a stress-relieving mechanism that can beused as a positive coping strategy (Enmarker et al., 2012).Existing evidence has indicated that pet ownership can helpwith stress reduction, improve quality of life and pets can facili-tate social and community interaction (Brooks et al., 2013;2018). Participation in pet-related activities like dog walkingdecreased isolation and loneliness in owners (Cutt et al., 2008).A variety of pet interactions like stroking of pet mammals, look-ing at pet fish in an aquarium, or caressing a boa constrictor canall help reduce stress levels and blood pressure (Allen, Shykoff,& Izzo, 2001). Recent work has illustrated that pet ownershipprovides community engagement and meaningful participa-tion, which assist development of coping skills for people who

CONTACT Anne-Marie Hill Anne-Marie.Hill@curtin.edu.au� 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group

AGING & MENTAL HEALTHhttps://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2019.1633620

have diagnosed with mental illness (e.g., Schizophrenia and bor-derline personality disorder) (Brooks, Rushton, Walker, Lovell, &Rogers, 2016; Hayden-Evans, Milbourn, & Netto, 2018).Researchers have theorized that these pet interactions suggestthe presence of a human-animal bond (HAB). The HAB has beendescribed as a closed and specialized bond between a pet andits owner that may promote positive mental health in olderadults (Anderson, Lord, Hill, & McCune, 2015; Brown, 2011;Irving et al., 2017). Studies examining the role of pet ownershipfor older adults strongly suggest that there is a positive correl-ation between owning a pet and the well-being of the petowner, and this relationship is stronger when pets play a role inaddressing older adults’ needs (McConnell, Brown, Shoda,Stayton, & Martin, 2011; Pachana, Massavelli, & Robleda-Gomez,2011). For older adults, particularly those with limited social con-nections, pet ownership has been reported as one of their mostimportant relationships in the lives to help to reduce emotionalloneliness (McNicholas & Collis, 2000). A recent meta-analysis of70 studies conducted by Holt-Lunstad, Smith, Baker, Harris, andStephenson (2015) reported a higher mortality rate amongthose who experienced loneliness, social isolation and livedalone. Pet ownership can positively associate with social inter-action, favour exchange, civic engagement, perceptions ofneighbourhood friendliness, and sense of community, particu-larly for older adult communities (Enders-Slegers & Hediger,2019; Wood, Giles-Corti, & Bulsara, 2005; Wood, Giles-Corti,Bulsara, & Bosch, 2007; Wood et al., 2015).

However, some studies have reported that it may result in adecline in mental health (Enders-Slegers & Hediger, 2019;Gilbey, McNicholas, & Collis, 2007; Needell & Mehta-Naik, 2016).Pets may increase the susceptibility of pet owners to contractpet-related diseases (Herzog, 2011); and can also increase fallsrisks especially in older adults (Kurrle, Day, & Cameron, 2004).Such health risks may result in increased stress in older adults(Herzog, 2011; Kurrle et al., 2004). It has also been suggestedthat pets may also exacerbate depressive symptoms in olderadults, due to the various responsibilities and emotional attach-ments that are related to owning pets (Gilbey et al., 2007;Needell & Mehta-Naik, 2016). One of the main responsibilities isthe financial investment to pay for veterinary care, pet food,and supplies (Anderson et al., 2015). As most of the older adultsare retired or not receiving high income, the financial burdenof pet ownership may result in an increase in stress levels(Anderson et al., 2015; Needell & Mehta-Naik, 2016).

While existing quantitative research has reported a posi-tive association between pet ownership and mental healthoutcomes, more emphasis is needed to explore the in-depthinsights from older adults on how their pets may influencetheir mental health. Thus, the purpose of the study was toexplore the lived experience of pet ownership in commu-nity-dwelling older adults, to gain a deeper understandingof its influence on their mental health. The two objectiveswere to: (i) understand the meaning community-dwellingolder adults derive from their role as pet owners, and; to (ii)explore how pet ownership may influence mental health.

Methods

Study design

This study used a qualitative design to conduct an in-depthexploration of the lived experience of pet ownership, inparticular, its impact on mental health (Creswell, 2014). It

took a descriptive phenomenological approach to exploreolder people’s thoughts, beliefs, and experiences about petownership without any biased judgement (Creswell, 2014).A phenomenological approach was appropriate in thisstudy to bring meaning to the narratives of the lived expe-riences shared by the older adults (Creswell, 2014).

Participants

A purposive sample of 14 community-dwelling older adultswas recruited (Refer to Table 1). Electronic and hardcopyflyers were distributed to a local organisation for olderadults, as well as to personal network to circulate to poten-tial participants who would meet the inclusion criteria ofthis study. The inclusion criteria were: (i) being aged65 years and older, the average age for older adults indeveloped countries (WHO, 2002); (ii) be a pet owner toone or more pets for at least six months prior to the inter-view, to ensure that participants had experiences to pro-vide narratives on pet ownership; and (iii) living in thecommunity, to allow participants to be comfortable aroundtheir pets and share about their mental health.

Ethical approval

Ethical approval was obtained from (blinded for review)prior to the study commencement. All participants pro-vided informed, written consent prior to their inclusion inthe study. Participants were also free to withdraw from thestudy at any given time. Pseudonyms were given to eachparticipant to protect their identity.

Data collection

Semi-structured interviews were conducted at each partici-pant’s home to gather rich narratives on their perspectiveon pet ownership. Each interview lasted between 20 and40minutes. A demographic questionnaire guide and semi-structured interview guide were developed by the researchteam and was utilized to collect data. The demographicguide detailed age, gender, home help obtained, livingarrangements, number and type of pets owned, whoowned the pet and the length of time they had owned thepet. The interview guide included questions on mentalhealth benefits of owning pets, the influence of pets on adaily routine, and relationships with pets. The guides werepiloted with an older person who met the inclusion criteriaand data obtained from the piloting procedure wereexcluded in this study. The pilot study enabled theresearchers to explore the sensitivity of the questions askedand identify areas of improvement for the interview guide(Creswell, 2013).

Data analysis

Data were analysed using Colaizzi’s (1978) seven stages ofdescriptive phenomenological analysis. Each interview waspersonally conducted, audio-recorded and transcribed ver-batim by the first researcher (blinded), gaining a sense ofthe complete experience from the participant’s perspec-tives. A reflective diary, bracketing personal reactions, wasalso written during this process (Merriam, 2009). The first

2 G. Z. HUI GAN ET AL.

researcher then read through the individual transcripts sev-eral times to identify and highlight the lived experiences ofpet ownership. Significant quotes pertaining to pets andemotions were extracted and tabulated in a separate docu-ment. Triangulation of the analysis was undertaken by thesecond two researchers (blinded) of this study to formulatemeanings derived from the quotes and organise them intoclusters of themes. This method ensured credibility asthemes were not overlooked (Merriam, 2009). In this study,seven theme clusters were then collapsed to four emergingthemes. A further review of these four themes then identi-fied an overarching theme that assisted to understand howpets influenced their owners’ mental health. Reflective jour-naling was done by the first author during this process toensure dependability (Merriam, 2009). These themes werethen presented in an exhaustive narrative account andreturned to all researchers for feedback and validation. Thenarrative was then condensed to focusing on the essentialstructure of how pet ownership influenced mental health.Member checking was done by sending individual tran-scripts and a summary of the findings to all the partici-pants via emails (Colaizzi, 1978; Shenton, 2004). However,only eight participants responded prior to the due date.Throughout the study, an audit trail was also undertakento ensure the confirmability of the data analysed(Merriam, 2009).

Results

Participants in this study (refer to Table 1) had a mean ageof 73.6 years; with 6 males and 8 females; half were marriedand living with someone and half were single or widowedand lived alone. Dogs were the most common type of petsowned and all participants have had previous experiencewith pet ownership. Four main themes were identified,demonstrating how pet ownership influenced the partici-pants’ mental health. Pets were viewed by their owners asproviding (i) comfort and safety; (ii) social inclusion andparticipation; (iii) purposeful routine and structure; and (iv)a meaningful role to pet owners.

Feelings of comfort and safety

This theme captured how the relationship between the petand pet owners resulted in their pets providing comfortand safety. Pets were viewed as being able to uplift theolder adults’ moods, provide companionship, and a senseof security to their owners. Pet owners reported that theirpets could uplift their moods by being a ‘constant’ andthat pets can show their ‘care for you just as much as youcare for them’. Vivian mentioned that pets also have theability to demonstrate ‘unconditional love’ because they ‘donot care whether you are fat, thin or happy’. All participantsdiscussed positive experiences and memories of how theirpets have influenced their current life situations and moodstates. For example, Iris, who had a diagnosis of depression,expressed that after getting her pet she was ‘very muchimproved’ and ‘a lot happier’. She felt this was because shewas ‘bonded very closely’ to her pet. Another participant,Ben, mentioned that his pet of 11 years uplifted his moodduring a period of grief by giving ‘an awful lot back’.Ben expressed:

When my wife died, she was consoling to me, without talking toeach other… The recovery was a lot shorter because of the dog.

Several older-adult pet owners also specifically men-tioned that stroking their pets assisted them to satisfy the‘tactile part of living that is essential for people’ and theyenjoyed the sensory input. Jamie stated that her pet ‘likesto come up and cuddle and things like that. So, I appreci-ate that.’

All participants considered their pets as a surrogate fam-ily member or companion and frequently referred to theirpet as ‘kid’, ‘baby’ or ‘mate’. Grace and Sean identifiedrespectively that their pets provided companionshipbecause they could ‘talk to you’ and ‘listen’, qualities whichwere likened to human-like character traits. This wasemphasized by Richard when he felt ‘relieved’ by beingable to communicate his worries with his pet who wasable to ‘understand’ and ‘feel’ for him. The personificationand anthropomorphising of pets reflected the presence ofthe HAB that developed between the pet owner and petas a result of companionship.

For participants living alone, like Isabel, having a pet asa companion was perceived as preventing loneliness

Table 1. Participants’ profiles.

Pseudonym Age Gender Marital Status Living arrangementsNumber and

types of pets ownedHave you ownedother pets before

Michael� 65 Male Married Living with partner 2 Dogs Yes (dogs for 35 years)Grace 74 Female Married Living with partner 1 Dog, 1 Fish

and Wild birdsYes (birds all their life)

Sean 79 Male Married Living with partner 1 Dog, 1 Fishand Wild birds

Yes (birds all their life)

Vivian 65 Female Single Lives alone 1 Dog Yes (dogs all their life)Richard 85 Male Married Living with partner 1 Dog Yes (dogs and cats all his life)Amanda 79 Female Married Living with partner 1 Dog Yes (2 dogs and 1 cat

before marriage)Jamie 76 Female Divorced Lives alone 1 Cat Yes (dogs and cats all her life)Justin 70 Male Married Living with partner 1 Dog Yes (dogs for the last 25 years)Morris 78 Male Married Living with partner 1 Dog and 1 Fish Yes (dogs all his life)Ben 81 Male Widowed Lives alone 1 Dog Yes (all his life)Nancy 70 Female Divorced Lives alone 1 Dog Yes (all her life)Iris 67 Female Divorced Lives alone 1 Dog Yes (dogs, cats, birds,

fish all her life)Jasmine 75 Female Divorced Lives alone 1 Dog Yes (dogs all her life)Isabel 66 Female Divorced Lives alone 1 Dog Yes (dogs and cats all her life)�Pseudonyms were used to protect participants’ identities.

AGING & MENTAL HEALTH 3

because it ‘fills the emptiness of the house’. Isabel furtherhighlighted:

A house is not a home without someone in it… when you walkthrough that door, and someone is so happy to see you, it bringsyou up.

Richard also shared that his stress and fear about dyingand leaving his wife alone was reduced because he knewthat his pet and his wife ‘will be helping one another.’ Mostpet owners, particularly dog owners, indicated that theirpets provided security in their lived environment by beinga ‘bodyguard’ or ‘guarding the house’. They stated that theyfelt ‘safer’ and at ease because pets relieved their anxietiesregarding house break-ins. Nancy shared:

I feel a little safer with him as he will bark when he sees astranger coming up my driveway, or a car, different car comingup the driveway. So that makes me feel comfortable.

Interestingly, Isabel, also described that her pet could‘know when I (she) did not feel well’. Isabel’s pet thusappeared to provide her with a sense of personal security,even without being trained to do that. It was the HAB thatwas present to allow for such phenomenon, which reducedthe risks and stresses related to her current med-ical condition.

I have had epilepsy ever since I was a teenager… Cleo to tell mein her own way that I will have a seizure before I did… Shewould use that type of bark, and I knew that I had to go andlie down.

Experiencing social inclusion and participation

All participants stated that pet ownership meant that theyengaged in pet-related activities resulting in increasedsocialisation with friends and families. Their pet was viewedas acting as a ‘connector’ between themselves and others.This increased socialisation provided a sense of belongingin their respective communities, which could positivelyimpact on their mental health. Ben expressed that ‘socialconnection takes 20minutes, and it just matures, and every-body stays friendly together… ’

Owning a pet enabled older adults to rekindle oldfriendships, form new friendships and strengthen existingrelationships. Morris stated that pet ownership allowed himto reconnect with people he knew from ‘40 years ago whentheir children were in primary school here’, through the par-ticipation of pet-related activities. This provided him with asense of social connectedness, which could positively influ-ence mental health. Additionally, Morris also shared howhis participation in pet-related activities at the parkexpanded his social circle:

They were virtually all strangers. But now I know the names ofhalf of them, and the names of most of their dogs… the dogsmeet first, then you get to know the people.

Several other pet owners also indicated that they ‘take aphotograph (of their pet) and send them off’ to friends andfamily members, which was a ‘fun’ way of communicatingand maintaining relationships. Pets were also found to per-form a therapeutic role in addition to a social connectorrole. Jamie mentioned that her friends living in aged carewere ‘absolutely grieving and have to give (their) animalaway’ but enjoyed visiting Jamie and her pet for ‘cat

therapy’. Such interactions were also beneficial to Jamiebecause it enabled her to reduce the social isolation result-ing from living alone, creating a positive influence on hermental health.

Participants also described how they belonged to a vir-tual or physical community that assisted to increase theircontact with others. Vivian shared how she belonged to avirtual community on social media through her pet andhow this assisted her to develop relationships and increaseher socialisation with other pet owners despite liv-ing alone:

She’s got her own Instagram page… I am always posting onFacebook because we belong to the ‘Groodle and Oodle’pages… And we also have dog meet-ups and they are allthrough Facebook.

A few pet owners indicated that they had become moreinvolved in the lives of other people by being invited tocelebratory occasions like ‘breakfasts and birthdays’. Oneparticipant, Michael, was even invited to a wedding occa-sion by ‘one of the dog people’ he met through walking hispet. These interactions also positively impacted on themental health outcomes of these older adults because ofthis purposeful socialisation.

Finding purposeful routine and structure

Participants described how pet ownership provided themwith a ‘routine’. Jasmine expressed that her pet gave herday ‘a bit of structure’ which she enjoyed. Michael high-lighted that his responsibilities and routine were to ‘takehim for a walk, let him out, and let him back in, fill thewater, feed them, clean up after them’. The responsibilitiesof owning a pet meant that both physical and cognitivetasks were undertaken to participate in these valued activ-ities, thus positively influencing older adults’ mental health.

Pets were also a source of motivation to engage olderadults in activities. Participants described how their petsplayed an important role in enabling them to have some-thing productive to look forward to, giving them a senseof purpose and value and thus positively influencing self-esteem and mental health. Nancy mentioned that her petwas her source of motivation because it made her ‘get upand do things every day’. Iris also discussed how pet owner-ship restored life meaning and purpose by creating a rou-tine for her:

My whole life, more or less, I have always been looking afterpeople. Family, children, and then my partner. And that was allgone, so I was feeling pretty useless. So, she gave me a senseof purpose.

Pet ownership as a meaningful life role

Owning a pet was compared to parenting. Richard statedthat his pet was ‘like a child of ours’ and ‘it is aresponsibility… to look after them and care for them as youwould with a child’. This phenomenon was reflected in thenarratives 14 participants, where participants regardedthemselves as being ‘parents’ to their pet and acknowl-edged the ‘commitment’ that was inherent in caring for apet. Justin mentioned that one of the sacrifices that hemade was that he ‘will never go on an overseas holiday and

4 G. Z. HUI GAN ET AL.

leave Jake.’ This socially valued role of being a ‘parent’appeared to provide impetus to the participants to planahead and overcome pet-related challenges. Justinexplained, regarding his holidays, that he has ‘got a holidayhouse down south and he comes down’ with him for a holi-day instead.

Most pet owners also raised concerns and fears of losingtheir pets through death or pets going missing. Morrisstated that losing a pet would be nearly like ‘losing a child’.Thus, older adult pet owners planned ahead and were will-ing to make financial sacrifices to care for their pets andensure that their pets were in good health. Such planningand commitment demonstrated the important and mean-ingful role that older adults see in being a pet owner andthe HAB that was developed through pet ownership.Nancy reflected:

One of the things that I reflected on when I had Buddy at the vetwas that I was still working, fortunately. If I was a pensioner atthat particular time [of the accident], I don’t know if I could havedone that for her… lots of pensioners would face thosechallenges with a dog that has been their companion for so long,and can they afford to keep their dog as their companion? It’snot cheap… I will just work a bit longer to cover her.

Discussion

Overall, findings from this exploratory study assist toexplain why older adults who have pets may experiencepositive mental health benefits from their role as a petowner. This study focused on two objectives: (i) the mean-ing community-dwelling older adults derived from the roleas pet owners, and (ii) how pet ownership may influencemental health.

Results of this study indicated that the role of pet own-ership highlighted how pets made good companionsbecause they represent another ‘being’ present in theselives of older adults even ‘without (us) talking to eachother’. They described how the physical presence of theirpet provided tactile gratification, (‘… so he likes to come upand cuddle… ’) which satisfies one of the essential humansensory needs. This finding concurs with another study,which found that pet owners feel loved and acceptedwhen the need of physical touch is fulfilled (Sacks, 2008).Pet owners also personified their pets to demonstratehuman-liked character traits, like welcoming someonehome, engaging in communications, or providing emo-tional support. This phenomenon highlighted that petsmake good companions because of a unique HAB, wherethe pet and owner have a bond similar to that of a parent-child or husband-wife relationship (Brown, 2011,). Similar tofindings of other studies, participants also indicated thatdogs make a good company by guarding the house andalerting their owners to any criminal presence, which mayfurther assist to minimise the risk of anxiety in older adultsliving in their own homes (Oliveira, 2018; Shaffer & Yates,2010). The physical presence of another being providedcomfort and safety through companionship, which maycontribute positively to the mental health in older adults(Brown, 2011; McConnell et al., 2011; Pachana et al., 2011).Such companionship position these relationships to be keysources of wellbeing for many older adults to contributetheir aging-in-place experiences.

The experience of being a pet owner provided a ‘senseof purpose’ to the older adults’ everyday routine, whichgave them a valuable role to play in life. These findings aresupported by quantitative studies which have reportedthat pet ownership is associated with a decrease in loneli-ness and social isolation, and an increased in levels of self-esteem and engagement in meaningful activities in olderadults (McConnell et al., 2011; Stanley et al., 2014; Zimolag& Krupa, 2009). Older adults with a greater sense of pur-pose in life are also less likely to develop adverse healthoutcomes, including increased frailty, disability and clinicalstrokes (Kim, Sun, Park, & Peterson, 2013; Yu et al., 2015;Zaslavsky et al., 2014). As with other studies, older adults inthis study also indicated that the role of a pet owner wasaccompanied with various challenges and responsibilitiesto care for the health and welfare of their pets (Andersonet al., 2015; Dall et al., 2017). Participants highlighted thecommitment and sacrifices that they were willing to makefor their pets, at the expense of their personal comforts,reflecting the role of a ‘parent’ (Laurent-Simpson, 2017).

The role of ‘parenting’ and caring for a pet has beenfound to be socially valuable and meaningful (Blouin, 2013;Laurent-Simpson, 2017). These responsibilities also servedas a source of motivation for these older adults to ‘get upand do things every day’ which assisted with the develop-ment of a daily routine. The motivation and routine estab-lished may assist to alleviate feelings of being ‘useless’,increasing self-esteem by providing a sense of purpose(Irving et al., 2017; Sowislo & Orth, 2013; Zimolag & Krupa,2009). Completing various pet-related tasks can bringabout a sense of accomplishment and result in an optimis-tic attitude in life, which may then positively influence themental health outcomes of older adults (Zhao, Zhang, &Ran, 2017). For older adults, pets seem to help them estab-lishing a firm social role even if their other life circumstan-ces start to shift and change. Being able to perform ameaningful role and accomplish tasks promote self-deter-mination and self-responsibility, therefore conferring posi-tive benefits to mental health (Blouin, 2013; Irving et al.,2017). These findings differed to those other studies, whichindicated that pet owners may be more at risk to a declinein mental health outcomes because of the various chal-lenges they face with pet ownership (Enders-Slegers &Hediger, 2019; Miltiades & Shearer, 2011; Needell & Mehta-Naik, 2016). This notion was further observed when all par-ticipants, who have had previous pet ownership experi-ence, displayed resilience and positive mental wellbeing inproblem-solving these pet-related challenges like the lossof a pet. This finding is also reflected in current literature,where pet bereavement may not result in severe grief, as itis with human bereavement (Green et al., 2018; Needell &Mehta-Naik, 2016). However, pet owners experiencing grieffrom the loss of their pets should also be supported emo-tionally through adaptive strategies, to manage ruminatingnegative thoughts and feelings, preventing a decline inmental health (Irving et al., 2017; Packman, Carmack, &Ronen, 2012). Such strategies include allowing pet ownersto put things into perspective by acknowledging their griefin a safe and validating space (Green et al., 2018); orencouraging pet owners to attend virtual or physical sup-port groups specifically for the loss of pets (Packmanet al., 2012).

AGING & MENTAL HEALTH 5

Participants have also highlighted that pet ownershipmay influence their mental health by decreasing levels ofloneliness and increasing socialisation. Pet owners benefittedsocially from their participation in pet-related activities. Asmost of the participants owned dogs, increased socialisationopportunities stemmed mainly from dog-walking. Otherstudies have also reported dog owners having more signifi-cant social interaction than cat ownership because dog-walking increases opportunities for older adults to interactwith the environment and the people around them (Cuttet al., 2008; Enmarker et al., 2012; Pruchno, Heid & Wilson-Genderson, 2018). However, one participant who owned acat indicated that her cat also functioned as social connec-tors for friends who came to visit. Additionally, the socialisa-tion from participating in pet-related activities broughtabout a sense of belonging and community, a finding sup-ported by other studies (McConnell et al., 2011; Ryan, 2013).Belonging in a community, physically or virtually, may influ-ence positive mental health in older-adult pet owners bybringing greater happiness, self-esteem, and sense of iden-tity (Brooks et al., 2018; McConnell et al., 2011).Furthermore, older adults reported that the presence oftheir pets assisted to ‘fill the emptiness of the house’, sug-gesting that pets may prevent loneliness. This finding corre-sponds to the findings of the study completed by Stanley etal. (2014), where older adults owning a pet were less likelyto report loneliness than older adults not owning a pet. Theability of pets to reduce social isolation may thus positivelyinfluence mental health.

There are several limitations that need to be consideredalthough member checking and triangulation of analysiswere undertaken with the aim of strengthening the validityof the study. The sample population of this study consistedof only community-dwelling older adults; hence, some ofthese findings may not be generalisable to a wider popula-tion. As the HAB appears to be present in the lives of theseolder adults, future research can explore the impact of HABin a wider population like older adults living in residentialaged-care facilities or older adults experiencing chronic ill-ness and disabilities. This can inform clinicians to considerusing pet ownership as a direct intervention to promoteautonomy and evaluate the impact of pet ownership onmental health in older adults. While the current study aimedto include other pets, majority of the older adults focusedmainly on their interaction and relationship with dogs andcats. This can be explained by cats and dogs being the twomost common types of pets owned (Richmond, 2013). Someparticipants reported owning other pets like fish and birdsbut preferred to talk about their cat or dog, rather thantheir other pets. Existing research has indicated that asidefrom dogs and cats, birds and fish also contributed to aricher psychosocial environment for older adults sufferingfrom chronic illnesses (McColgan & Schofield, 2007).Therefore, limited perspectives have been obtained from theexisting participants about the influence that owning othertypes of pets has on mental health, highlighting the needfor further research on this area.

Conclusion

Overall, these findings offer a unique perspective fromolder adults about how their role as pet owners has a

positive influence on their mental health. Older adultsreported that their role as a pet owner enabled them toexperience comfort and safety, social inclusion and partici-pation, purposeful routine and structure, and was deemedas meaningful life role. Their beliefs about the benefits ofpet ownership were evident in that they concurred in rec-ommending pet ownership to other community-dwellingolder adults as highly desirable. Pet ownership mayincrease the resilience of older adults to mental health dis-order such as depression and loneliness. However, as olderadults age, it comes with potential health challenges thatmay prevent them from continuing to own and care for apet despite the health benefits. In addition, for older adultsliving in vulnerable circumstances, (e.g., lower incomes andfinancial capabilities and facing social isolation), denyingtheir opportunities to age independently with a companionanimal may inhibit efforts to promote social inclusion andautonomy (Toohey & Krahn, 2018). Findings from the studymay imply that there could be a potential cross-sectionalpartnership among geriatric services, community supportservices, care facilitators and government agencies to helpsustain this important HAB between older adults and theirpets to promote good mental health and well-being.Consequently, they should encourage and support olderpeople to keep and care for their pets.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Anne-Marie Hill http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1411-6752Polly Yeung http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6584-7515

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