For older single women choosing to age abroad, pets are far more than companions. They are anchors of identity, routine, and belonging. Using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach with photo elicitation methodology, this research invited 15 women in Panama to tell their stories through images, revealing four profound themes: the depth of companionship and emotional bonds, the role of pets in shaping daily structure and routine, a surprising sense of personal security and safety, and the very real challenges that come with pet ownership as we age.

But listening closely to these women's stories revealed something the literature had largely overlooked. The same animal that anchors daily life can also be the reason an older adult ends up on the floor.

That gap became the catalyst for P.A.L.S.™ (Pet Awareness for Living Safely), a patent-pending LiDAR-based fall prevention system designed to detect pets in the home environment and support safer aging in place. Technology was born directly from the human animal bond.