Paws for Thought: How pets help us lead healthy, active lives as we age
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This work was first presented at the Wellbeing Symposium by Dr Sandra McCune, February 21, 2018.
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Paws for Thought: How pets help us lead healthy, active lives as we age
- 1. This document and the information it contains are confidential and the property of Mars Incorporated. They may not in any way be disclosed, copied or used by anyone except when expressly authorised by Mars Inc. ©Mars 2016 Paws for Thought: How pets help us lead healthy, active lives as we age Dr. Sandra McCune Wellbeing symposium Ashford, Kent 21st February 2018
- 2. This document and the information it contains are confidential and the property of Mars Incorporated. They may not in any way be disclosed, copied or used by anyone except when expressly authorised by Mars Inc. ©Mars 2016 WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition Providing fundamental pet science
- 3. An ageing population Life expectancy is increasing in many parts of the world and with that comes new and unprecedented challenges This document and the information it contains are confidential and the property of Mars Incorporated. They may not in any way be disclosed, copied or used by anyone except when expressly authorised by Mars Inc. ©Mars 2016 Eurostat: 60+ years of age 18.5% (2014) 28.7% (2080) WHO: 60+ years of age Expected to double between 2000 & 2050
- 4. People & Pets: An enduring and important relationship… 10,000 years ago • 7.5 M cats • 8.5 M dogsUK • 60+ M cats • 66+ M dogsEU • 2/3 of all homes include a petUS Pompeii Mosaic 79 AD Confidentiality notice: This document and the information it contains are confidential and the property of Mars Incorporated. They may not in any way be disclosed, copied or used by anyone except when expressly authorised by Mars Inc. ©Mars 2015 1. Melson G. 2004 Why the wild things are: Animals in the lives of children. Harvard Univ Press
- 5. The role of pets in healthy active ageing • Increasing evidence from WALTHAM studies of health benefits from pets to people • Nearly 40% of adults in USA aged 50-67 have a pet but this declines to only 9% for those aged 68+ This document and the information it contains are confidential and the property of Mars Incorporated. They may not in any way be disclosed, copied or used by anyone except when expressly authorised by Mars Inc. ©Mars 2016
- 6. Benefits of pets for healthy active ageing This document and the information it contains are confidential and the property of Mars Incorporated. They may not in any way be disclosed, copied or used by anyone except when expressly authorised by Mars Inc. ©Mars 2016 Physical health & Mobility
- 7. Benefits of pets for healthy active ageing This document and the information it contains are confidential and the property of Mars Incorporated. They may not in any way be disclosed, copied or used by anyone except when expressly authorised by Mars Inc. ©Mars 2016 Social and emotional health
- 8. Economic Benefits of Pets • Pet owners make about 15% fewer visits to the doctor each year • Estimated national health care savings – Germany = €3 billion (2014) – UK = £2.45 billion (2016) This document and the information it contains are confidential and the property of Mars Incorporated. They may not in any way be disclosed, copied or used by anyone except when expressly authorised by Mars Inc. ©Mars 2016
- 9. Pet Friendly Cities promote healthy active ageing • WALTHAM studies show pet owners – Make better neighbours – Have stronger community connections – Feel safer when walking with a dog • Generate local economic benefits This document and the information it contains are confidential and the property of Mars Incorporated. They may not in any way be disclosed, copied or used by anyone except when expressly authorised by Mars Inc. ©Mars 2016
- 10. This document and the information it contains are confidential and the property of Mars Incorporated. They may not in any way be disclosed, copied or used by anyone except when expressly authorised by Mars Inc. ©Mars 2016 Awarded November 2017
- 11. This document and the information it contains are confidential and the property of Mars Incorporated. They may not in any way be disclosed, copied or used by anyone except when expressly authorised by Mars Inc. ©Mars 2016 What we did in Melton Mowbray
- 12. This document and the information it contains are confidential and the property of Mars Incorporated. They may not in any way be disclosed, copied or used by anyone except when expressly authorised by Mars Inc. ©Mars 2016 Success so far Data from Pet Friendly Town resident survey (pre and post campaign). (Pre-Survey. 61 responses / Post-survey, 89 responses)
- 13. This document and the information it contains are confidential and the property of Mars Incorporated. They may not in any way be disclosed, copied or used by anyone except when expressly authorised by Mars Inc. ©Mars 2016
- 14. What now? • Visit www.waltham.com for more research findings on the impact of companion animals on our health and well-being • Visit www.melton.gov.uk for information on how to make your town or city more pet friendly • If you would like to talk about the role pets can play in tackling loneliness, contact kat.horrocks@effem.com’ This document and the information it contains are confidential and the property of Mars Incorporated. They may not in any way be disclosed, copied or used by anyone except when expressly authorised by Mars Inc. ©Mars 2016
- 15. This document and the information it contains are confidential and the property of Mars Incorporated. They may not in any way be disclosed, copied or used by anyone except when expressly authorised by Mars Inc. ©Mars 2016
Editor's Notes
- 1. For over 50 years, the WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition, part of Mars Petcare, has been producing fundamental research on the nutrition, health and well-being of pets including the understanding of how pets might benefit the people they share their life with. 2. The knowledge generated at WALTHAM is applied to Mars Petcare products and, where possible, is shared with the veterinary and scientific communities for greatest impact outside our own walls, through scientific publications, books and other resources. 3. At the heart of WALTHAM’s success is an approach that strives to look after their pets in an enriched environment with a high standard of care that ensures both their health and happiness. We call this the Caring Science approach 4. HAI science WALTHAM Research highlights the valuable part that pets can play in enhancing life for older adults. We are partnering with organizations of global influence e.g. GSA and NIA, to help develop research in this area.
- Eurostat has estimated that the proportion of older people in the total population across the EU Member States will rise from 18.5% in 2014 to 28.7% by 2080. By 2050, the number of over 60s globally is expected to double. With this in mind, it’s vital that we address how to support healthy active aging for our society. Healthy active aging is about giving older people the opportunity to take an active part in society and enjoy an independent and high quality of life.
- An ancient relationship – Animals have been a central feature of human life for many thousands of years. Evidence from burial sites in Israel and Northern Europe suggest that pet keeping has been practised continuously throughout human history for over 10,000 years Throughout history, the relationship between humans and pets has been one of the world’s most unique and enduring bonds Pet population - Pets are very popular –UK is famously a nation of animal lovers but there’s also an increase in global numbers Changing demographics mean the way we keep pets and the role they play in our lives are changing – pets more common in US HH’s than fathers
- Our world is changing, and as our population becomes more weighted towards the older generation, communities need to be better able to support our changing society. The role that pets play in creating engaged communities can’t be overlooked. Pets provide a reason to get out of bed in the morning, a partner for walks through the neighbourhood, and a topic of conversation with friends and neighbours. Opportunities to provide nurturance to others and to give and receive affection may decrease as we age, but pets are constant companions who can make us feel needed, valued, and loved.
- There is an increasing body of evidence from WALTHAM and other researchers that pets bring health benefits to people and support healthy active aging. There are key findings for the beneficial impact of pets on Physical health and mobility, on social health and on emotional health. Physical health & mobility 1a. Pet owners have a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease as they have significantly lower blood pressure, plasma triglycerides and cholesterol.18 A study undertaken in 1980 determined that pet ownership made a significant difference in the survival rate for serious heart attacks—94% of heart patients with pets survived, compared with 72% of those without pets. The American Heart Association has issued a statement in support of the role that pet ownership--particularly of dogs--can play in reducing the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. 1b. We know exercising in later life can be a challenge. Social circles may diminish and gyms can be expensive and intimidating. As a result, only one in four people in the UK between the ages of 65 and 74 exercise regularly. A new WALTHAM study, suggests owning a dog may help older adults to meet physical activity targets. Older adult dog owners achieve an average of 22 additional minutes of walking per day compared to non-dog owners. (Dall et al 2017)
- Social health 2 Another recent study from WALTHAM surveyed over 2,500 pet and non-pet owners across three cities in USA and a fourth in Australia. Approximately 40% of pet owners reported receiving social support from people they met through their pet.(Wood et al 2015) Emotional health 2a Older adult pet owners are 36% less likely to report loneliness than NPO 2b A recent study of older adults with dementia showed significant decreases in agitated behaviour and increases in social interaction when a pet visited
- National health surveys from both Germany and Australia have shown that pet owners may use less medication42 and make about 15% fewer visits to doctors per year than non-owners, and that those who own pets the longest are the healthiest.43 These reductions in healthcare usage mean that pet ownership potentially saves billions of dollars/Euros in government and private healthcare expenditure annually.44 As a result, they could help governments save billions in healthcare costs. According to a 2016 report from the University of Lincoln, the NHS is saving an estimated £2.45bn per year in the UK due to pet ownership. A similar study from the University of Göttingen in 2014 estimated up to 3bn Euro in savings for the German healthcare system.
- We believe the research provides evidence of the benefits of pets for older adults – for individuals, for communities and even for national economies. Although more research is needed, we already know PF communities have: Better neighbours – pet owners (POs) more likely to report their neighbours as been friendly, trustworthy and helpful (WALTHAM study- Wood et al. 2017) Stronger community connections - Wood et al. 2015; Feel safer – Christian et al 2016 PO’s walk on more days of the week than NPOs contributing to a healthier lifestyle Also Local economic benefits – (Kennel Club Business Survey 2009): 1. Dog owners spend 16% more on eating out and drinking in pubs than non-pet owners. 2. 4/5 companies saw their business improve (including income) after expanding their customer base to include canines. 3. Dog owners are almost twice as likely to regularly visit local shops and businesses than those who do not own a dog So how can we support Responsible Pet Ownership (RPO)? One approach by Mars Pet Care with community partners is the development of Pet Friendly (PF) Cities and Towns programmes. RPO education for pet owners (POs) and children – future POs PF retailers – shops, pubs, restaurants, hotels PF parks - agility trails, dog facilities Visitation programmes for those unable to own a pet Support of local shelters Housing issues M-J will focus more on Housing and Access to PO in the next talk. We’ll hear about some programmes on the ground and what needs to be in place to ensure they work well