Owning a pet can be life-changing for older adults
Helps boost mental health, provide sense of purpose
IN THE NEWS: Pet ownership can bring joy and companionship to people of all ages, especially older adults. Studies show that pets can also help fight loneliness and depression.
Because older adults have more unstructured time and fewer responsibilities, they may experience feelings of social isolation and lack of fulfillment. Pets can be life-changing for this population, 
providing another sense of purpose, says UCI Health geriatrician Dr. Lisa Gibbs.
She spoke with U.S. News & World Report about the many benefits pets offer to older adults, including supporting their overall emotional health. She also offered insights for those considering ownership.
“What type of pet to have is very personal. Make sure the situation is a win-win for the owner and the pet.
“Dogs with behavioral problems won’t be best for those who struggle to control their pet.”
Gibbs is the medical director of UCI Health Senior Health Services, which has been recognized as a national leader in advancing clinical care for older adults. She has repeatedly been named a Physician of Excellence by the Orange County Medical Association.
She is also a professor and the chief of the Division of Geriatric Medicine & Gerontology at the UC Irvine School of Medicine Department of Family Medicine.
An advocate for the health of seniors, she heads numerous research and training projects designed to support successful aging, including the Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program and Dementia Care Aware to care for people suffering from dementia.
U.S. News & World Report: The value of pet ownership for older adults
About UCI Health
UCI Health, one of California’s largest academic health systems, is the clinical enterprise of the University of California, Irvine. The 1,317-bed system comprises its main campus UCI Medical Center, its flagship hospital in Orange, Calif., the UCI Health — Irvine medical campus, four hospitals and affiliated physicians of the UCI Health Community Network in Orange and Los Angeles counties and a network of ambulatory care centers across the region. UCI Medical Center provides tertiary and quaternary care and is home to the only Orange County-based National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, high-risk perinatal/neonatal program and American College of Surgeons-verified Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center, gold level 1 geriatric emergency department and regional burn center. Powered by UC Irvine, UCI Health serves nearly 5.7 million people in Orange County, western Riverside County and southeast Los Angeles County. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter).