Knight Sarah, Edwards Victoria
Department of Psychology, University of Portsmouth, King Henry Building, King Henry I Street, Portsmouth, PO1 2DY, UK.
J Aging Health. 2008 Jun;20(4):437-55. doi: 10.1177/0898264308315875.
The increase in aging populations has implications for the provision of health and social services. A preventative approach is taken to address this problem by examining a mechanism that can enhance physical health and reduce minor ailments.
Participants in 10 focus groups discussed physical, psychological, and social benefits associated with human-dog interactions.
Interaction between humans and dogs is a mechanism that can enhance the physical and psychological health of elderly citizens and promote a social support network between dog owners. In turn, dependence and impact on health and social services are alleviated.
The social and community consequences of promoting dog ownership in the elderly are addressed, and it is concluded that the benefits of dog ownership should be promoted among the elderly and acknowledged by relevant agencies.
人口老龄化加剧对健康和社会服务的提供产生了影响。通过研究一种能够增强身体健康并减少轻微疾病的机制，采取预防措施来解决这一问题。
10个焦点小组的参与者讨论了人与狗互动带来的身体、心理和社会益处。
人与狗之间的互动是一种能够增强老年人身心健康并促进狗主人之间社会支持网络的机制。反过来，减轻了对健康和社会服务的依赖及影响。
探讨了鼓励老年人养狗的社会和社区影响，得出结论认为，应在老年人中推广养狗的益处，并得到相关机构的认可。
