MorningStar at Mountain Shadows is Pet Friendly
It was not that long ago that seniors moving into an assisted living community had to leave behind an important companion, their pet. Today however, more and more retirement communities are recognizing the benefits of pets to the elderly, and many such as MorningStar at Mountain Shadows , allow residents to bring their pets with them. There has been a lot of research that validates the benefits of pets in seniors’ lives. In fact, A Place for Mom website reports on a study that shows, “just 15 minutes bonding with an animal sets off a chemical chain reaction in the brain, lowering levels of the fight-or-flight hormone cortisol and increasing production of the feel-good hormone serotonin. The result: heart rate, blood pressure and stress levels immediately drop.” They go on to say that interactions between pets and humans can “lower cholesterol levels, fight depression and may even help protect against heart disease and stroke.” Anothe...