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llustration by Wilcox Richard Macey
August 27, 2007
DEMENTIA is on the increase in Australia's cats and dogs as pampered pets are living longer. "What we call cognitive dysfunction is remarkably similar to what happens in people," Matthew Miles, executive officer of the Australian Small Animal Veterinary Association, said. A study published in the Journal of Small Animal Practice reported "28 per cent of cats aged 11 to 14 develop at least one geriatric-onset behavioural problem. This increases to over 50 per cent for cats 15 years of age or older." Signs included pets having restless nights and forgetting their owners, inappropriate urination and defecation and inappropriate barking for dogs.stration Grosse Pointe agency delivers food for pets along with Meals on Wheels Food for pets of the aged MEALS ON WHEELS LEARNS DONATIONS FOR PEOPLE OFTEN GO TO ANIMALS Article Launched: 08/14/2007 01:36:37 AM PDT
Click photo to enlarge Lita Rosita Smith has a Maltese dog named Bibi, and a parakeet named Sky.... ( KAREN T. BORCHERS )  The knock on the door sent Bibi racing in circles, yipping and barking as only a little dog can. Sky, a parakeet, sought safer ground on the side of her cage as Lita Rosita Smith headed for the door, stopping every few steps as Bibi twirled around her. It was the delivery from Meals on Wheels, bringing the hot meal that the 87-year-old San Jose woman needs to get by. But that's not why Bibi was so excited. Without fail, whoever brings the food also has a few treats for Bibi. Every weekday for the past 11 years, Health Trust Meals on Wheels has delivered about 300 hot meals daily to house-bound seniors and others in Santa Clara County who are too ill to go out. But now, the group has started including pet food in its deliveries, after realizing that some seniors, concerned about their animals' well-being, had been feeding their meals to their pets instead. For many of the seniors, it's a choice between paying for medication, food for themselves or food for their pets. "This is something Meals on Wheels all over the country have noticed," said Libby Combs, an Americorps-VISTA member who is working for Meals on Wheels at the Health Trust. "About 25 percent of our clients have pets." Called PALS - Pets and their Loving Seniors - the new service provides enough pet food for a month at a time. Meals on Wheels officials are hoping that, just like with the regular Meals on Wheels program, good Samaritans will sponsor each senior's pet and pay for the food. Ideally, program officials say, people will sponsor meals for the seniors as well as for their pets - and volunteer to deliver them. It costs $2,500 a year to sponsor hot meals for one senior, said Renee Kellythorne, director of Meals on Wheels. That includes cold meals delivered on Friday that recipients can stretch into sandwiches on Saturday and Sunday. It only costs about $150 a year to pay for pet food because most of their pets are cats or small dogs. "Fifty-one of our clients have no friends or family nearby," Kellythorne said. "Sometimes the Meals on Wheels driver is the only person they see all day." The average age of the people served is 82. Three clients are more than 100 years old. The whole program is based on donations. Combs, who started the PALS program, is looking to someday team up with animal-rescue groups to pair seniors with pets that need homes. "They do better with pets," she said. "It gives them a reason to get up. There's just nothing better for them." Smith, Bibi and Sky's owner, moved to California from her native New York 10 years ago to be closer to her son. She can't imagine life without her pets. Smith's vision is deteriorating and she's had both hips replaced, making it hard to walk far, but her two companions keep her laughing and smiling most of the time. Except for when she misses New York. "I still cry because I miss New York," she said. "I miss the museums." She's had Sky since Mother's Day two years ago and Bibi, a Maltese, will turn 4 on Thursday. "Sky teases him and he tries to go after her and she flies back to the cage," Smith said. "If I'm watching TV and Bibi is lying with me, she'll sit on his head or his back." The three are quite a sight when Bibi rolls around in Smith's lap and Sky is perched on the back of her chair. "I don't believe in caged animals," she said, petting Bibi. Having them as companions "is wonderful." Smith is diabetic and receives special meals from Meals on Wheels that will not interfere with her condition. Her son does some shopping for her on Saturdays but receiving daily hot meals has added much to her life. "I don't know what I'd do without Meals on Wheels," she said. Neither does Bibi. Meals on Wheels is looking for volunteer drivers to deliver meals and pet food and financial sponsors "to help a low-income senior keep their companion animal." Checks may be mailed to the Health Trust Meals on Wheels, 1701 S. Bascom Ave., Campbell, Calif. 95008, or you can donate with a credit card online at http://preview.entango.com/donate/334cWzwVCDs For more information, call (408) 961-9866.
Contact Linda Goldston at lgoldston@mercurynews.com or (408) 920-5862. August 26, 2007 BY KIM NORTH SHINE FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER Charles Dattolo is used to living without a car, and therefore without being able to drive to get food and necessities whenever he wants. But with supplies in the house low at times, the 86-year-old Harper Woods resident also was accustomed to sharing his meals with his closest companion, Daisy Mae, a terrier mix adopted in 2001 by Dattolo's late wife, Marie. Advertisement  |
These days his dear dog is getting her own kind of food more often. It comes delivered to the house once a month with one of Dattolo's daily Meals On Wheels deliveries. The Meals for Mutts and Meows program was started two months ago by Grosse Pointe-based Services for Older Citizens as a complement to its meal delivery for homebound seniors. So far, about 20 cats and dogs are participating, said Debbie Pommerville, director of development for Services for Older Citizens (SOC), which provides a variety of social, educational and welfare programs for older people. Dattolo, who counts on caregivers to help him run his errands, is grateful for his meals and Daisy Mae's. "I'll still share the food from the table with her," Dattolo said last Monday during a delivery. "But this helps out a lot." He still is brought to tears when he talks about his wife of 57 years, who died in April. Daisy Mae has helped get him through. "If it wasn't for her, I don't know where I'd be," he said as Pommerville fed Daisy Mae some treats. "She's a lucky dog, isn't she," Meals On Wheels volunteer Joann Giffer said to Dattolo. From Dattolo's home last Monday it was on to stop No. 2 for Pommerville and Giffer, an 81-year-old Fraser resident who is a substitute Meals On Wheels driver for SOC. At Marion Battjes' Grosse Pointe Park flat, Holly the cat is eating. When visitors arrive, she scurries for cover. Her owner, 86, can't take care of herself or her pet like she used to. When her daughter, Beth Dann, who lives nearby in Detroit, saw a flyer for Meals for Mutts and Meows, she said, "I signed up right away." "It's a really nice idea," Dann said. A freshly delivered 5-pound bag of cat food was left in a chair. Her mother's hot meal and bagged lunch -- the typical delivery -- were left on the kitchen table. About 100 meals for homebound seniors in the Pointes and Harper Woods are delivered each day, said Pommerville, the SOC employee who helps coordinate deliveries. The pet food is delivered one Monday a month. Pommerville said the idea for extending the program to pets came up gradually as volunteers mentioned pets might be in need. After researching and finding that other states had started pet food delivery as part of Meals On Wheels, she applied for a $750 grant and received it from the Meals on Wheels Association of America in June. She started the program that month. She believes her program is the first, or among the first, in Michigan. "Some of the drivers had a lot of concerns for the animals," said Pommerville, who herself has a soft spot for animals. Pommerville, of Clinton Township, is on the board of the Oakland Pet Fund, a nonprofit that is working to make the Oakland County animal shelter a no-kill facility by 2010, among other goals. Pommerville said the first Meals for Mutts and Meows delivery made it clear how much it was needed. "The first time I made little bags with treats and wrote a little card," she said. "They were extremely grateful. They were overwhelmed," she said. "Nobody ever thought of their animals before." KIM NORTH SHINE can be reached at 313-223-4557 or at kshine@freepress.com  Local Meals on Wheels program benefits pets, seniors Thousands of homebound senior citizens across the nation benefit from the Meals on Wheels program each day. Meals on Wheels delivers hot, lunchtime meals to the elderly who might not otherwise eat. Many of the program recipients have only their pets for companionship.So many seniors are struggling to feed their pets that the Meals on Wheels program initiated Season of Suppers, which delivers pet food to clients. More than 1 million pounds of pet food were collected this winter.March for Meals is an annual fundraiser for Meals on Wheels.Last year, March for Meals raised more than $40,000 for Meals on Wheels. For more information about the race, visit www.riverbanks.org. For more information about Meals on Wheels or Senior Resources visit www.seniorresourcesinc.org.— Elizabeth A. Ruiz Can Your Pet Keep You Alive?By: Rebecca Sweat Section: Pets and Heart Attacks When Nick Hansen suffered a heart attack, his physician made several recommendations as part of a recovery regimen. He told the 65-year-old Chicagoan to quit smoking, avoid alcohol, lose weight, start a walking program, go on a sodium-restricted and low-cholesterol diet – and get a dog.
Twenty or 30 years ago, that may have seemed like unusual advice. But thanks to recent medical studies, doctors are beginning to appreciate the role pets can play in increasing the chances of survival for heart attack patients.
Pet Ownership Ranks High
According to a study of how psychological factors contribute to recovery rates for heart-disease patients, pet ownership ranked highest – above even such factors as a spouse or a supportive family – in determining the patient's prognosis for long-term survival.
In that study, conducted in 1980 at Brooklyn College, only 5.7 percent of 53 pet owners, compared with 28.2patients who did not own pets, died within a year of discharge from a coronary-care unit.
“The effect of pet ownership on survival was independent of the severity of the cardiovascular disease,” said Dr. Erika Friedmann, who worked on the study. “That is, among people with equally severe disease, pet owners were less likely to die than non-owners.”
Second Study Replicates First
Fifteen years after the first results were in, Friedmann and her colleagues replicated the original study, this time extending it to a larger number of subjects. Researchers studied 369 patients who had experienced myocardial infarctions and had ventricular arrhythmias (life-threatening, irregular heartbeats), and divided them into two groups: those who owned dogs and those who did not.
Friedmann found that 19 of the 282 patients who did not own dogs died within a year after having a heart attack. Of the 87 patients who owned a dog, only one died. The researchers concluded that dog owners were approximately 8.6 times more likely to be alive in one year as those who did not own dogs.
As in the first study, the association of dog ownership with survival could not be explained by differences in the severity of the illness. Nor could psychological, social status, or demographic characteristics account for the difference in recovery rates, Friedmann noted.
“One could argue that because dog owners exercise their animals, they are generally healthier than non-dog owners,” she said. “However, when we compared physiological profiles of dog owners and non-dog owners, there were no significant differences, suggesting that the relationship itself with the animal was the key predictor of survival rates.”
Researchers believe there is also evidence that pets can act as anti-arousal agents in some kinds of moderately stressful situations, that they help lower cholesterol levels, keep blood pressure down, and also help promote positive interactions with others. For heart attack patients, that may be just what the doctor ordered. Here is a link to a great organization, NY Save: http://www.nysave.org/ | | In 1998, a group of veterinarians recognized the need for pets with medical emergencies to get the care they need regardless of their owners' ability to pay for that care. With an endorsement and a start-up loan from the Veterinary Medical Association of New York City, NY SAVE, Inc., was founded as a publicly supported, philanthropic organization to serve the pets of New York City residents living in Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island. The goal of NY SAVE is for any pet owner residing in one of the five boroughs of New York City who is truly in need of financial assistance to be able to take their pet to any participating veterinary hospital for emergency veterinary care. Pet owners can apply directly to NY SAVE or obtain services through a referral by a veterinarian who is a member of the Veterinary Medical Association of New York City. To qualify, the pet owner will need to provide identification and some form of documentation indicating that they are currently unemployed, on public assistance, disabled, or living at or below the poverty level. There is a $1,500.00 annual limit per household requesting funds for veterinary care. Pet owners who are able to pay a portion of the veterinary care will be asked to do so on a sliding-scale basis. Veterinarians participating in the program will reduce their fees in order to care for animals accepted for treatment under NY SAVE. The pets treated through NY SAVE will receive the same level of care as any other veterinary patients. After treating the emergency condition, the veterinarian will institute the appropriate therapy for the continued stabilization of your pet. Unfortunately, due to limited funding, NY SAVE has to turn away pets weekly and the number is increasing. NY SAVE relies solely contributions and donations from organizations to pet lovers. Any little bit helps!! Please HELP NY SAVE provide the assistance that will save a pet's life. Please do what you can to help! |
Here is a link to the North Shore Animal League's, Beth Ostrosky. BY PAUL MCKIBBEN | PMCKIBBEN@COMMUNITYPRESS.COM It's not just senior citizens who get food from the Meals on Wheels program administered by Senior Services of Northern Kentucky. Seniors' pets can also receive meals under a program called Animeals on Wheels that's supported by donations. The food is typically dry dog or cat food. Seniors were saving part of their meal for their pet, according to Donna Oehler, SSNK's vice president of institutional advancement. Oehler said there's no funding for the program, but it's been in place for several years. Currently the program is in Boone, Kenton and Campbell counties. Oehler would like to extend it to Grant, Gallatin, Carroll, Pendleton and Owen counties and expand the program for those who can pay for the service but maybe do not have the physical strength. "We want people to be able to keep their pets. ... And for older women, sometimes, it's a security issue as well," Oehler said. SSNK will also take donations of pet supplies such a cat litter, bird seed, pet beds and cat boxes. SSNK's phone number is 491-0522. "We're providing good nutrition for a cat and dog owner as well for their pets," Oehler said. Driver Charlie Phillips, who has a Covington route, said when he gives one of his clients pet food there is "a happy reaction because most of them just have very little to spend on extra things." Information is available online about the program at www.seniorservicesnky.org/Animeals.htm. ST. LOUIS, Sept 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Could man's best friend help you improve your memory, lose weight and stave off depression when you enter your senior years? According to a national Purina Senior PetLover survey* of 514 pet-owning Americans, ages 60 and older:
-- 66 percent said their pet keeps their mind active and their memory
sharp.
-- Almost half of those surveyed (45 percent) said that after adopting a
pet they started spending more time doing physical activities like
walking and 26 percent of the women said they lost weight.
-- 84 percent of those surveyed stated owning a pet makes them feel
happier.
"Research showing the physical benefits of pet ownership for seniors, which includes lower systolic blood pressure and cholesterol levels (1), has been well-documented over the years. However, seniors also benefit emotionally from pet ownership, which might not be as easily seen on the outside, but can greatly impact their quality of life and enable them to feel their best," says Steve Cohn, DVM, a Purina Pets For Seniors veterinarian.
A Healthy Dose of Pets Gets Seniors UP and GOING
Although constant companionship is the best aspect of owning a dog or cat according to 88 percent, seniors also see other benefits of pet ownership that include a positive outlook on life and a renewed interest in being active. In fact, 69 percent of senior pet owners said their pet makes them look forward to each new day and that's the same positive attitude that contributes to a more active lifestyle. Pet ownership provides a powerful incentive for seniors to get moving because they know it's good for their health, and it's another way to interact with their pet. For example, seniors acknowledge their pet is their companion, but 55 percent of those surveyed said they also see their pet as their playmate, and so the simple act of playing leads to more vibrant seniors. Even more, 71 percent of the women said their pet keeps them energized, which is a great reason for people of all ages to consider adopting a pet.
Purina Senior PetLover Adoption Month
In order to communicate the life-enriching benefits of pet ownership among senior citizens, and to help homeless pets find loving homes, Purina is establishing October as Purina(R) Senior PetLover Adoption month. During this time, animal shelters nationwide will be encouraging seniors to adopt pets by hosting Purina Senior PetLover Adoption events in their local areas. At each event, shelters will try to pair seniors with adoptable pets in the hopes of ultimately finding a forever home for the pet and a perfect companion for the senior. Plus, for qualifying seniors age 60 years or older, Purina and Tony La Russa's Senior Adoption Program will underwrite most of the adoption fee to make it financially easier for them to adopt.
"We know that thousands of dogs and cats need good homes, so it is a win-win situation when bringing a pet into the home improves the quality of life for both the pet and owner," says Dr. Cohn. "By rallying together with local shelters during Purina Senior PetLover Adoption Month, we help seniors become familiar with the benefits of pet ownership and make it physically easier for them to adopt a new pet."
How Can Pet Lovers Support the Cause?
On Sunday, September 16, 2007, pet owners across the country can support the cause of senior pet adoption by utilizing PetLover coupons appearing in local newspapers nationwide. For each PetLover coupon redeemed between September 16, 2007 and November 30, 2007, Purina will donate $0.03 to Tony La Russa's Senior Adoption Program with a minimum donation of $60,000. For details on the Purina(R) Senior PetLover Adoption Month campaign with Tony La Russa's Senior Adoption Program, please visit http://www.purinapetlover.com/. Tony La Russa's Senior Adoption Program provides a $50 discount off an eligible senior citizen's pet adoption fee for individuals 60 years of age and older.
* The survey interviewed 514 adults, ages 60 and over, living in the United States during a two-week period in late July 2007. Phone interviews were conducted via Opinion Research Corporation, a pioneer in marketing research. The results have a margin of error of +/- 5% at the 95% confidence level for comparable data between the populations of pet owners and non-pet owners.
(1) American Journal of Cardiology, 1995 Pets dominate discussion at Salida Senior Center
Jennifer Denevan - Mail Staff Writer
Dogs, cats and mules dominated the conversation at the Bring Out the Animal in You presentation at the Senior Center Wednesday afternoon.
The presentation was aimed at how pets can improve health for owners and to give advice on how to keep pets healthy.
Michele Wayland of the Ark-Valley Humane Society, presented information connecting health to owning pets.
"Pets are good listeners," Wayland said. People sometimes just need someone to listen to them and pets don't judge she added.
Studies have shown pets can increase exercise opportunities, outdoor activities and socialization. While pets are increasing certain opportunities, they also decrease health risks, such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels, triglyceride levels and feelings of loneliness Wayland said.
People who attended gave personal stories of their pets and how they changed their lives. Joan Michaud, Public Relations Manager for Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center, attended citing her cats are crazier than her dog.
"One of my cats rules the roost," Michaud said with a laugh. The cat stares down her dog and the dog moves from the dog bed for the cat.
Courtney Shucker, a member of the Salida Senior Center, also discussed his golden retriever.
"The second I'm out of sight, he goes nuts," Shucker said. His dog, though well behaved, appears to miss him profusely when he goes in doors or can't be seen. A definite sign pets love unconditionally, another point Wayland made about health and pets.
The presentation also included a performance from Archie, a dog owned by Twila Bonser, Marketing and Admissions Coordinator at Columbine Manor. Archie is a boxer, Boston Terrier mix Bonser said.
Archie demonstrated obedience, jumped through a hoop and over Bonser's knee. He also demonstrated drop, tuck and roll in case of fire and went down a slide.
Talking about small animals, such as hamsters and guinea pigs were also discussed. Athena Khalsa, animal trainer, discussed training dogs but gave advice on how to help small animals as well.
"You need to establish dominance," Khalsa said when it came to potty training dogs. "If you're not a leader, they'll lead you," she added.
A variety of questions were asked during Khalsa's segment of the conversation, including the difference in personality of horses and mules. Shucker wanted to know if owning a mule would be better than a horse due to difference in attitude.
Members of the audience and Khalsa discussed how horses differ from mules. It was explained to let the mule think he's making the decision not Shucker.
The presentation is one of a three part series that will include the benefits of humor and growing into sexuality. Laughter is the Best Medicine...We're not Joking is the next presentation held at noon -1:30 p.m. Oct. 10 at the Salida Senior Center. WALOP: We all Love Our Pets We All Love Our Pets (WALOP) is an initiative from MOWAA that seeks to unite and educate our Meals On Wheels programs across the country who are getting involved with pet food programs for senior clients. While many Meals On Wheels programs have their own pet food services, this is the first initiative of its kind on a national level. The goal of the WALOP program is to provide support and materials to the Meals On Wheels programs nationwide that support the needs of their clients and their pets by providing pet food supplements. The WALOP program took shape in 2005 as MOWAA began to learn more about the pet food Meals On Wheels services—from our member Meals On Wheels programs, from the public, and from the press. The turning point was when Ladies’ Home Journal’s November 2005 issue published an article about pet food services. This created a surge in public interest, and it was the moment when a national pet food program community began to be a concrete venture. Since Meals On Wheels programs operate differently, based on size, demographics, and state and county regulations, it is impossible to come up with a national pet food program. Rather, WALOP is a community and a support system. WALOP is a resource for all Meals On Wheels programs serving their clients’ pets, and enables them to share their challenges and successes with one another.
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