A lot of people do not realize it, but many people who live in assisted living facilities actually have dogs, cats and other pets. For many seniors, having a dog while living in an assisted living facility can actually be a wonderful thing. If you have a dog, then your furry companion will be able to keep you company when things get a little bit lonely. Your pet can also encourage you to get up, go outside and have fun even when you don't really feel like it. These are a couple of tips that can help you be as successful as possible when bringing a dog into an assisted living facility.
1. Choose the Right Facility
First of all, you are going to need to make sure that you choose the right facility. Some facilities do not allow pets, despite the benefits that dogs can provide for their owners. You will need to do more than just look for a facility that allows dogs, however; you will also need to make sure that the facility will be comfortable for your dog. For example, you may want to look for a facility that offers a nice, grassy area for walking your dog and that is otherwise pet-friendly. This can help you ensure that both you and your dog are happy in your living arrangement.
2. Choose the Right Dog
Along with making sure that you choose the right facility, you will also need to make sure that you choose the right dog. Even though you might love the idea of bringing home a young puppy, you should know that training a wild and boisterous puppy in an assisted living environment can be challenging. Instead, you may want to consider giving a more mature dog a nice, loving home so that you won't have to worry as much about training issues. You may also want to look for a dog that isn't too big and that does not shed too much if you'd like to make life in the assisted living facility a bit easier for everyone who is involved.
Having a dog when you live in an assisted living facility can be a wonderful thing. However, it's often not a good idea to just bring a puppy or dog into the facility without putting some thought into things. If you take these two steps beforehand, you can help ensure that things work out well when you bring a four-legged friend into an assisted living facility for seniors.
Share9 November 2017
My husband and I recently moved his mother to an assisted living facility. My name is Audrey Martin, and I am going to share our experience with you. My mother-in-law is eighty-two years old. She has been living on her own for twelve years since her husband passed away. My husband, David, is her only child. That left us in charge of making this decision for her since she has declined to the point of not being able to make sound decisions on her own. I’m not going to tell you that it’s been easy, but I will say that it can be done. I hope that what I’m about to share proves to be helpful to you should the time come that you are the one moving a loved one to an assisted living facility. Thanks for stopping by!