Couple holding and petting their white dog.

07 Nov Looking for a pet-friendly senior living community? They don’t get much friendlier than Westerwood.

Posted at 13:05h in The Village Blog by
0 Likes

From being landscape assistants to personal trainers, the pets of Westerwood are much more than adorable faces; they’re contributing members of the community. And, according to reliable sources, they also play a major role in boosting physical, social and emotional wellness in seniors.

How Pets Improve Senior Health

Many senior health benefits are associated with owning pets. According to a study by the American Heart Association, pets can lower blood pressure and cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease in older adults. These benefits may be due, in part, to daily walks and activities owners and their pets enjoy together—contributing to a sense of purpose, greater mobility and overall health.

For seniors who live alone, pets provide companionship by giving them someone to talk to, care for and snuggle with. A survey conducted by AARP revealed that older adults who own pets experience lower levels of loneliness compared to those without pets.

Pets also offer a natural way to strike up conversations and make connections. Dogs, cats and other animals are often magnets for people who can’t resist their cuteness. Many friendships have been forged during doggie belly rubs or kitty cuddles. This allows seniors who may be shy or suffer from social isolation to interact with others in a casual, friendly manner.

Are Pets Allowed in All Senior Living Communities?

If you’re considering a move to a retirement community, but have been turned off by the strict no-pet policies of some communities, we have good news. Westerwood, a Life Plan Community in Columbus, Ohio, isn’t one of them.

Our pet-friendly senior living community allows you to leave all the responsibilities of home ownership and the chores that come with it behind—not your beloved pets. And without all those daily tasks and chores, you’ll have more time and energy for things that matter most.

A Purr-fect Fit

Westerwood was built with the wellness of our residents—human and otherwise—in mind. Our 23-acre campus includes a nature preserve, beautiful wooded nature trails, miles of walking paths and plenty of benches throughout our patio gardens that offer pet-friendly places to sit and enjoy the fresh air.

One visit to our campus and you’ll immediately understand why everyone is always so happy. In fact, Westerwood has a reputation for being one of the friendliest and most welcoming senior living communities in the Columbus area. And it’s not just our residents. We’re consistently voted a best place to work.

Meet the Fur Babies of Westerwood

We’d love for you to visit our community and experience it for yourself. But meanwhile, we thought we’d give you a glimpse into our community and culture by introducing you to some of our community pets that brighten the lives of their owners and—our entire community—every day.

Dogs, Seba and Benji, sitting waiting for a treat.

Sebastian and Benjamin

These Great Dane/German Shepherd twins work hard and play hard. Sebastian is the community landscaping assistant who supervises our amazing grounds crew and ensures the campus is always looking its best. Benjamin is our fitness puppy who helps residents get through their exercise classes. They get paid very well—with lots of yummy treats.

Black and white cat, Cooper, lounging on the floor.

Cooper

This curious kitty loves lounging on her favorite quilt, spending quiet time on her mom’s lap and breaking into the medicine cabinet to see what’s inside. Her favorite find is her mom’s hearing aids. She also loves lots and lots of attention when friends and neighbors visit them in their apartment.

A black and tan cat, named Willow, resting on the arm of a couch.

Willow

In less than a year at Westerwood, Willow has made lots of friends. She enjoys watching the birds, squirrels and critters that forage in the garden and is obsessed with the hummingbirds at the window feeder. But she has higher aspirations and thinks she could make a big difference in the oval office.

Brenda holding Colin, her cat.

Colin

Colin, a Maine Coon cat, shares his name and his handsome looks with actor Colin Firth. He spends his days soaking up the sun from his favorite spots, watching birds in the courtyard tree and enjoys meowing along to chimes hanging in the courtyard tree—sometimes all night long. Fortunately for the neighbors, the sound proofing is superb at Westerwood.

A golden cat named, Tigger, laying on a blanket in their carrier.

Tigger   

Tigger loves playing a good game of hide-and-seek, hanging out in her cat tree and watching the birds of Westerwood. After all that activity, she enjoys taking a nice long nap. What she doesn’t love is when her owner spends too much time on the computer—and Tigger lets them know by grabbing their arm with her paws.

Gabby, a little black and tan dog being pet.

Gabby

The timing of this 19-pound chihuahua-miniature pinscher mix is impeccable. She loves burrowing under the covers and always comes out just in time to lick the last bit of ice cream off the stick when her owner is eating an ice cream bar.

Experience the Happiness of Westerwood for Yourself

Call us today at (614) 568-0503 to learn more about our pet-friendly senior living community and discover how easy it is to live your best life here. Or schedule a visit in person where you can meet the dogs, cats and other furry friends who bring joy and comfort to our residents every day.

 

 

SOURCES:



Send us a note

We’d love to send you more information about us or answer any questions you have. The more you learn about Westerwood, the more you’ll want it to become your new home!

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.