Ageing with attitude: Having a pet has great health benefits for people over 55

Margaret Jennings explores the health benefits of having pets for the over 55s, from connecting with others and greater wellbeing to reduced blood pressure    

WHEN small animal vet John O’Connor was on a 24-hour monitor to check his blood pressure, he noticed his reading was at its lowest at 7pm, when he presumed John’s working day was over and he was putting his feet up.

It was a fair enough assumption, but couldn’t have been further from the truth.