There are lots of pets to choose from and each provides its own benefits and responsibilities. If your elderly loved one has never had a pet or is unsure about making a full commitment to a larger pet like a dog or cat, picking up a little fishbowl from your local pet store along with a couple of fish is a great way to let him try out pet ownership without overwhelming him.
Health Benefits of Owning Pet Fish
We all know that eating fish is good for a person’s health, but did you know that owning a pet fish is also good for your elderly loved one’s health? From physical health to mental health benefits, fish are a great part of an overall wellness plan for your elderly loved one.
- Watching fish swim reduces stress and anxiety. Did you ever notice how many doctors’ and dentists’ offices have fish tanks? That’s because they know that patients are often anxious when they visit and watching fish swim calmly through water can help relieve the anxiety they feel.
- Observing fish can help reduce blood pressure levels. Because blood pressure levels are often correlated directly to stress, feeling the calmness that comes from watching fish glide through blue waters can bring a sense of calm and reduce those high blood pressure levels.
- Owning fish can improve overall mood and reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness. If your loved one is homebound, fish can help him connect with another living being and bring life to the four walls that surround him.
Top Five Reasons to Try Fish Ownership
- The financial commitment is small. Fish don’t need a lot, and most fish don’t cost a lot, so they are an inexpensive pet to have.
- They don’t need a lot of space.
- They don’t require a ton of care.
- They brighten up a room. Colorful fish can bring life to a dull room.
- They’re easily transported. If your loved one needs to move, they can easily bring their fish with them in most cases.
Getting Help for Caring for Your Loved One’s Fish
While fish are one of the easiest pets to care for, they still need regular care to stay healthy and to live a long time. Your elderly loved one can probably take care of most aspects of caring for his fish and their living environment, but if he has health issues that limit some of his abilities, he may struggle to provide the care for them – especially cleaning out their living environment.
With Home Care Assistance, you can request that your loved one’s home care assistance provider help out with the care of his fish by giving instructions on how to clean and maintain the fishbowl or fish tank. Even a smaller bowl with just one fish swimming around in it will need to have the fish occasionally transferred out, and the bowl to be completely cleaned and ready for the fish to return to. While taking care of fish may not seem like a tremendous task, if being unable to do it is stopping your loved one from getting some much-desired fish in his home, consider talking to his home care assistance team about adding it to the other many ways they step in and help your loved one live an independent life with a little assistance around his home.
If you or an aging loved one is considering Home Care Assistance in Danbury, NY, please contact the caring staff at Elderly Caregivers LLC. today at (203) 628-7438
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