What Happens to Pets When Their Parents Move to Assisted Living?

Content reviewed by Nell Ostermeier, D.V.M., CVA, FAAVA and Jennifer Sperry, DVM, Medical Director at IPG

It’s no secret – the USA doesn’t have the best track record when it comes to elder care. But what’s an aging pet parent to do when faced with separation from their animal companion?

As our population grows older, more seniors are facing the difficult transition to assisted living facilities. While this move often focuses on the well-being of the elderly individual, there's a silent companion in this journey that's often overlooked: the family pet. This situation raises a critical question: What happens to pets when their senior parents move to assisted living?

For many seniors, pets are more than just animals – they're family. It sounds cliché, but these soulful sidekicks provide companionship, emotional support, and often a sense of purpose. The bond between seniors and their pets can be profoundly deep, making separation a potentially traumatic experience for both.

Research has shown that pet parenthood can have numerous health benefits for seniors, including lowered blood pressure, reduced stress, and increased physical activity. Pets can also help combat feelings of loneliness and depression, which are common concerns in the aging population.

Assisted living and pet policy dilemmas

Not all assisted living facilities have the same approach and policies when it comes to pets. Some are pet-friendly, allowing residents to bring their animal companions, while others have strict no-pet restrictions. Even in pet-friendly facilities, there may be limits on size, breed, or the number of pets allowed.

For facilities that do allow pets, there can be challenges. Seniors may struggle with the physical demands of pet care, such as walking dogs or cleaning litter boxes. There's also the question of who will care for the pet if the senior resident falls ill or is temporarily hospitalized.

Options for pets when seniors move

When the time comes and an aging pet parent needs to make a hard decision about their pet’s future, there are a few options available.

Family help

Often, the first option considered is having a family member adopt the pet. This can be an ideal solution, as it keeps the pet within the family and potentially allows the senior to still visit their beloved companion.

Rehoming services

There are organizations dedicated to finding new homes for pets of seniors entering assisted living. These services work to match pets with compatible new guardians, ensuring the animals find loving homes.

Pet-friendly senior living options

Some seniors choose to prioritize their pet when selecting an assisted living facility, opting for places that explicitly welcome animals. This allows them to maintain their cherished bond with their pet throughout the transition.

Plus, it can have positive impacts on seniors’ health as well. According to Figo spokesperson Nell Ostermeier, DVM, “Research has shown that seniors who have a dog walk an extra 22 minutes per day, which also may be the reason a dog might lower their risk of a heart attack. It has also been shown that pets help lower depression and stress. This is why more and more assisted living communities are allowing pets.”

In-home care services

For seniors who are on the cusp of needing assisted living but aren't quite ready to make the move, in-home care services can be an option. This allows them to stay in their home with their pet while receiving necessary care.

Ultimately, there is no ‘right’ decision—it’s important to make choices on an individual basis, based on what’s best for you, your pet, and your family.

What about pet retirement homes?

As the challenges of senior pet care become more recognized, an innovative solution has emerged: pet retirement homes. These specialized facilities are designed to provide loving, long-term care for elderly pets whose parents can no longer care for them. Often, these senior pets come from homes with elderly caregivers who may struggle to provide optimal care, or who find themselves moving into assisted living.

One notable example is the concept of "feline retirement homes". These facilities cater specifically to senior cats, offering them a comfortable and caring environment for their golden years.

In Tucson, Arizona, Hearts That Purr has pioneered this concept. The nonprofit cares for 31 elderly cats in a spacious 6,000-square-foot ranch home set on eight acres of land. The facility is designed to feel like a home rather than a kennel, and they accept cats from the local community and shelters, providing a vital service for seniors worried about their pets' futures.

Source: greatnonprofits.org

Hearts That Purr offers a unique Feline Guardian Program, allowing cat parents to register their pets in advance. This ensures that if the cat outlives its owner or the owner moves to assisted living, they will have a loving home waiting. The program requires an annual donation and inclusion of the organization in the owner's will to cover future care costs.

Other organizations like Pet Peace of Mind base their entire mission around helping elderly pet owners plan for their eventual separation. Vet spokesperson Dr. Katherine Domann, DVM, recalls a particularly heartbreaking scenario that solidified her commitment to the mission:

“One incident sticks in my mind. An elderly gentleman had to leave his home and move in with his daughter. He owned six cats and she wasn't able to accommodate him and the cats. He brought all six cats in to be euthanized… We euthanized all of them. It was heartbreaking and impacted not only me, but the entire veterinary team for quite a while...

I learned from that experience to talk to clients, especially elderly clients or those who were seriously or terminally ill, about what plans they had made for the care of their pets. This was always a very difficult conversation, but I never regretted talking about it with them. Much to my surprise, it was always an easier conversation than I'd envisioned, and clients seemed truly grateful that I'd broached the topic.”

Cost barriers

It likely comes as no shock that designating a spot in a specialized pet retirement home can come with a hefty price tag. And so can in-home pet care or pet-friendly assisted living facilities. For those who want to plan ahead, it may be wise to designate a savings account for the purpose of pet care. Insurance can also help reimburse covered pet expenses, which potentially leaves more to spend on future pet housing plans.

Did you know that you may also be able to designate your pet as a beneficiary in your will? We’ve got all the details here.

Coping with separation

The prospect of leaving a pet behind can be emotionally devastating for seniors. Beyond losing a pet, aging dog and cat parents are also losing a source of comfort, routine, and unconditional love.

And like people, our pets also experience stress and depression when separated from their loved ones. Dogs and cats, especially those who have lived with seniors for many years, may struggle to adapt to new environments or families. They may regress behaviorally due to stress, making their chances of a successful rehome more difficult.

It’s not a glamorous topic, but it’s real and happens to so many pets and their people. So, how do we make this transition a little easier on all parties involved?

Preparing for the transition

Early planning is key. Families should discuss pet arrangements early in the process of planning for assisted living. This allows time to explore all options and make the best decision for both the senior and the pet.

Developing a comprehensive pet care plan can help ease the transition. This might include details on the pet's routine, medical needs, and preferences, which can be invaluable whether the pet is rehomed or moves with the senior.

Your vet can be a great resource, specifically if you believe your pet will suffer from separation anxiety. They can help put a medication plan in place so that your pet doesn’t have to suffer needlessly. They may also have advice on how to transition their care more seamlessly.

Some communities have developed foster programs specifically for pets of seniors entering assisted living. These programs provide temporary homes for pets and aim to reunite them with their owners if circumstances change.

Others are even exploring volunteer programs where community members or staff assist residents with pet care tasks, making it more feasible for seniors to keep their pets.

For seniors who can't keep their pets, select facilities are using technology to facilitate virtual pet visits, allowing seniors to see and interact with their pets via video calls.

The role of healthcare professionals

Healthcare providers and assisted living staff are increasingly recognizing the importance of the human-animal bond for seniors. This awareness is leading to more compassionate policies and creative solutions to keep seniors and pets together when possible.

Mental health professionals can help seniors cope with pet loss or separation stress, and some facilities offer counseling services specifically tailored to this issue.

As mentioned, your vet can be an invaluable resource when it comes to discussing your options. They may know of community resources or organizations that can assist should the time come.

The future of aging pet care

As awareness grows about the importance of pets in seniors' lives, we're likely to see more assisted living facilities adopting pet-friendly policies. There's also a growing movement towards creating senior living communities that fully integrate pet care into their services.

The rise of pet retirement homes offers another layer of options for seniors concerned about their pets' futures. As these facilities become more prevalent, they provide peace of mind for pet owners who may need to transition to assisted living or who worry about outliving their beloved companions.

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution

The question of what happens to pets when seniors move to assisted living doesn't have a simple answer. It's a complex issue that requires careful consideration of the needs of both the senior and the pet. However, with early planning, open communication, and a willingness to explore creative solutions – including pet retirement homes – families can often find ways to ensure the well-being of both their senior loved ones and their beloved pets.

As a society, however, we must do better when it comes to our aging population and pet care. Not only is aging a fact of life – most of us will get old and need assistance someday – but with more and more individuals becoming pet parents, this issue will only increase as new generations reach retirement age.

The fate of seniors' pets is an issue that deserves more attention and innovative thinking. Whether through pet-friendly assisted living facilities, family adoption, or specialized pet retirement homes, it's clear that our loving companions deserve to be part of the conversation when it comes to their owners' golden years. After all, the bond between seniors and their pets is often a lifelong one, worthy of honor and preservation in whatever form possible.

Lizz Caputo is the Manager of Content Strategy at Figo, animal enthusiast, and owner of a rescued senior American Bully. Her hobbies include checking out new restaurants in her area, boxing, and petting dogs of all shapes and sizes.