Study Shows Pets Ease Older Adults' Depression & Loneliness After Loss of a Spouse

A study published in The Gerontologist found having a pet, especially after the loss of a spouse or loved one, can help reduce feelings of depression and loneliness in older adults, reports DogTime.com . The investigators compared individuals who suffered the loss of a spouse to those who stayed married, then measured how effects of spousal loss differed for those who had a pet at the time of the death or divorce. All subjects who lost their spouse exhibited depression, but those who did not have a pet experienced significant increases in depression and loneliness than those who had pets. However, subjects with pets were no more lonely than older adults who did not experience such a loss. Florida State University Professor Dawn Carr observes, "Experiencing some depression after a loss is normal, but we usually are able to adjust over time to these losses. Persistent loneliness, on the other hand, is associated with greater incidents of mortality and faster onset of disability, which means it's especially bad for your health. Our findings suggest that pets could help individuals avoid negative consequences of loneliness after a loss."