Will Mom’s Small Dog Be Allowed If She Were to Move into Assisted Living?

It’s taking you a long time to convince your mother to at least talk about assisted living. She’s finally willing to do that. Perhaps you breathed a sigh of relief when she finally said she would listen to you about this important topic.
But right now, she’s asking about her beloved small dog.

Immediately, you may assume no assisted living community is going to allow dogs into their residences. However, that may not be true. Every facility is different, but there are some that will allow small pets.

This is the time to contact an assisted living community directly.

One thing you want to have in your corner when you begin discussing assisted living with an aging parent, like your mother, is information and knowledge. You may have a general idea that assisted living would be a benefit for her, but if you don’t know the specifics and cannot answer her direct questions, she may find a number of ways to torpedo the discussion before it even gets going.

Your mother may assume her pet wouldn’t be allowed.

If she’s making that assumption, that may be her way of acting as though she is thinking about this or willing to listen, but it’s really her effort to stop the conversation before it gets going. Ultimately, it is her decision and no amount of coercion or even force is going to change that. However, the more facts you have on hand (and that you can back up directly with evidence), the easier it’s going to be for you to show her that this very well might be the best decision she can make moving forward.

Why would an assisted living facility allow pets?

Research has shown that pets can be an incredible benefit to elderly men and women. Just the simple act of petting a small cat or dog while sitting on the couch, for example, can help to lower stress and anxiety. It also offers companionship.

Yes, an aging senior moving into assisted living will suddenly be surrounded by dozens and possibly even a hundred or more peers, but when they go into their room in the evening and close the door, that small pet can offer a great deal of comfort.

There are likely going to be added expenses, certain rules and expectations that must be met, and the size of the pet will likely be a factor. The only way to know this for sure, though, is to speak to an administrator at an assisted living facility directly. Keep in mind that every facility is different so you will want to speak to those at the facilities you or your aging mother would be most interested in directly.

If you or an aging loved one are considering assisted living in Theodore, AL, contact Ashbury Manor Specialty Care and Assisted Living at 251-317-3017.