Seniors and Pet Loss
Pet loss for seniors can be devastating...
Sometimes senior pet owners cannot be actively mobile or may be incapacitated in some shape or form with health issues so their interaction with the outside world is limited, even visitors and family become scarce. The main friend and companion that they share things in their life is their beloved pet who they become quite dependent on. Such a pet becomes their main focus in life and makes them feel loved, needed and wanted.
They pour much love and affection onto these pets and the pet in their life can often become their sole companion who is there through the times of loneliness and suffering, isolation- ever supportive, ever faithful, ever loving even though their carer is getting older, frailer. Pets sense this and sometimes adapt and accommodate those changes.
Because older pet owners are more than likely experiencing friends around them dying and their own mortality, when they loose their pet the impact can be devastating and they can experience a deep level of bereavement and mourning. Yet another friend has left them and the loneliness would be torturous seeing out the rest of their days possibly alone. Many would probably not replace their pet in fear that if something happened to them then who would take responsibility for their beloved pet. Keeping this in mind the other real issue of course is that they would loose their sense of being needed, being wanted, having purpose and would also miss the companionship and affection this pet brought them, all the things that they cling onto. In some cases more sessions may be required to help them through this bereavement period to offer the valued support required at this time.
If you have an elderly loved one it is important to show them that their grief is recognised and respected and offer a lot more support at this difficult time.
They pour much love and affection onto these pets and the pet in their life can often become their sole companion who is there through the times of loneliness and suffering, isolation- ever supportive, ever faithful, ever loving even though their carer is getting older, frailer. Pets sense this and sometimes adapt and accommodate those changes.
Because older pet owners are more than likely experiencing friends around them dying and their own mortality, when they loose their pet the impact can be devastating and they can experience a deep level of bereavement and mourning. Yet another friend has left them and the loneliness would be torturous seeing out the rest of their days possibly alone. Many would probably not replace their pet in fear that if something happened to them then who would take responsibility for their beloved pet. Keeping this in mind the other real issue of course is that they would loose their sense of being needed, being wanted, having purpose and would also miss the companionship and affection this pet brought them, all the things that they cling onto. In some cases more sessions may be required to help them through this bereavement period to offer the valued support required at this time.
If you have an elderly loved one it is important to show them that their grief is recognised and respected and offer a lot more support at this difficult time.