Tucson: Tails of Companionship: Local Nonprofits Team Up to Keep Pets In Place
As we grow older, our furry friends can provide meaningful comfort and companionship. Studies have shown that spending just 15 minutes in the company of a pet can reduce stress and increase feelings of well-being. Pet ownership has even been linked to lower cholesterol levels, reduced depression, and protection against heart disease and stroke. Small wonder that many older adults choose to share their home with a dog or cat!
At the same time, pet care can be challenging. Dogs and cats require regular exercise, food, and veterinary care – all expensive and time-consuming items for folks on a limited income or with health concerns of their own. For many, especially those with very limited resources, it can be tempting to share the meals provided by services such as Pima Meals on Wheels or Mobile Meals of Southern Arizona with their pet.
Last summer, Mobile Meals of Southern Arizona, along with parts of Pima Meals on Wheels with Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest, began a joint pilot program delivering pet food. Through the generous support of Meals on Wheels America and the Bonnie Kay Foundation, and in collaboration with Pima Alliance for Animal Welfare, an initiative of the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, and Cody’s Friends, more than 3000 pounds of food have already been delivered to more than 55 dogs and 40 cats. These supplementary deliveries help ensure that seniors and their pets can stay together and healthy.
The early success of the two meal programs’ collaboration with PAAW is just one example of the ways local community groups are turning their attention to the increasingly complex issues faced by older adults who wish to retain their independence and remain in their homes. Promoting health, dignity, and independence truly requires more than just a meal. It also requires cooperation, creativity, and compassion.
To find out more about Mobile Meals of Southern Arizona, e-mail info@mobilemealssoaz.org. To contact Lutheran Social Services, e-mail hgerrish@lss-sw.org
