Over 50, living alone and worried about cognitive health? Adopt a dog!

Facts for the dog obsessed.

According to a study published this month (January 2024) in JAMA, if you are over 50 and live alone, having a dog reduces the rate of cognitive decline (verbal memory and verbal fluency). There is no measurable change if you are older and live with people.

Here is the message in the bottle: We are not meant to live alone! Especially if we are older. Throughout our deep history we lived in family and tribal groups. We are social animals. The "Lone Ranger" myth is just that: a myth.

It is so interesting and miraculous that having a dog that you can be with, talk to, and play with can positively change our mental health! But of course, the dog obsessed among us already knew that.