Elderly people find ways to keep living with pets
A nursing home in Kanagawa Prefecture is welcoming pets to stay in its facility along with their owners.
In Yokosuka, a nursing home allows elderly residents to live with their pets. Kaori Kusakari, 92, shares her room with Purin, a 12-year-old cat who has been her companion for years. At Sakura no Sato Yamashina, residents can bring their pets, and they can stay even after the owner dies. Kusakari loves how she feels at ease when she's close to Purin.
The facility, opened in 2012, currently houses 13 dogs and cats with about 40 residents. Michihiko Wakayama, the facility's head, sees the residents and animals sleeping peacefully together as a testament to the facility's worth. However, not all elderly pet owners can reside in such facilities. In Niigata, Doubutsu-gakari, a civic group, helps by providing pet sitters at discounted rates to assist with walks, feeding, and cleaning.
The group also coordinates meetings with hospitals and social welfare councils when elderly people struggle to care for their pets. Mami Miura, the group's head, notes that some elderly individuals refuse hospitalization due to their desire to stay with their pets, while others have lost their animals due to insufficient care. Maiko Yasuno, an associate professor at Yokohama National University, stresses the importance of cooperation between elderly-care and animal-welfare services.
Yasuno advises pet owners to plan ahead for situations where they may no longer be able to adequately care for their pets. For Kusakari, Purin is by her side, where she wants him to be.
Written by urgent.news from Japan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
