Companionship care for the elderly is one of the most popular senior care services offered by home care agencies. The positive impact extends to every member of your family when a dedicated senior care specialist regularly spends time with your senior loved one to boost their quality of life.
Elderly companion care can be a standalone service, or you can add on any other personal care services to help with daily living. Below are five top reasons why you may consider companion care for you or a loved one.
1. Peace of Mind and Senior Independence
Elderly companion care is a source of unparalleled peace of mind, a particularly valuable asset as you embark on your in-home caregiving journey and begin the process of selecting a senior care service provider.
At this stage, you and your family members may feel anxious, afraid, or stressed. Older people often face the challenge of increasing physical limitations while also wishing to maintain an independent lifestyle. It can be hard to accept the need for assistance.
Before you enlist outside support, you may feel worried about:
- Safety
- Nourishment
- Getting around town securely and without risk to oneself or others
- Stability
- Accessibility around the home
Fortunately, working with a senior companion is a win-win solution. Well-trained caregivers can check in on your preferred schedule and will be sure to:
- Live with elderly companions and keep them company.
- Engage in their preferred activities.
- Communicate consistently with a designated family member and the agency regarding the well-being of your loved one.
- Report any red flags that would go unnoticed without the regular attention of a family member or other caregiver.
- Another benefit is that it’s just a quick step to enlist more home care services as you need.
2. Regular Social Engagement
The University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging found that “chronic loneliness can impact older adults’ memory, physical well-being, mental health, and life expectancy.” This is why many people choose elderly companion care simply for social engagement.
Elderly companion care is beneficial in these common scenarios:
- Family members live far away or are busy.
- Senior friends are no longer able to visit as much as they used to.
- Your loved one can no longer drive or has declined mobility, so it’s difficult for them to independently attend social activities, religious or spiritual services, and other events.
Companion care services can bridge that gap and offer social engagement and human connection. You can relax knowing someone will stop by and provide emotional support or take your loved one out for the day – so they’re not at risk of being socially isolated and lonely.
3. Personalized Attention, Conversation, and Activities
While assisted living and nursing home facilities do their best to meet the individual needs of their residents, the majority of care is designed and oriented for “the median population.” But what if your senior loved one doesn’t fit into the standard group?
When you hire a companion for your loved one, we do our best to pair them with companions who share similar temperaments, personalities, and life interests. This fosters authentic connections and benefits both parties.
You and your family can take the lead, guiding the companion in choosing the types of services. You can enjoy engaging activities like:
- Reviewing the daily news
- Reading through favorite magazines or literature
- Going to or streaming movies and TV shows
- Playing games, working on crossword puzzles, Sudoku, word searches, trivia, and other brain/memory stimulating activities
- Listening (and/or dancing) to music
- Engaging in favorite hobbies such as arts/crafts, gardening, playing music, scrapbooking, handwork, etc.
- Taking walks or exercising together
- Looking through scrapbooks and photo albums and sharing personal stories
- Sharing a meal or dining out at favorite restaurants
- Visiting friends and attending special events
Our caregivers and companions take great care to respect your needs, interests, and wishes, and we’ll come up with a care plan that keeps everyone happy.
4. Elderly Companion Care Is Affordable
Senior care comes at a price, and that price is determined by the type of care you choose. Home care options are notably more affordable than facility-based care options like nursing homes or assisted living facilities.
For numerous families, beginning with companion care and gradually adding personal care services proves to be a more budget-friendly strategy. This approach is better than making an abrupt transition to move into facility-based care before it is required.
Read The Cost of In-Home Care For Elderly Family Members and Paying for Senior Care for more information and other things to consider in terms of financial planning for senior care.
5. Evolving, Responsive, and Client-Driven Support
In an era when so many seniors live many miles from their nearest relatives, it can be stressful if your senior loved one has no one to contact during a crisis.
Having a nearby emergency contact is essential for senior health and safety. This is exactly the role that your companion and home care agency will serve. We will augment and upgrade personalized support as needed and in response to your loved one’s evolving needs.
Here are a few questions you and your family can ask when deciding on care:
- Is your loved one recovering from an illness or recuperating from a hospital stay?
- Would it be helpful for the companion shift to include light laundry and housekeeping?
- Due to memory loss or physical disabilities, is your loved one no longer able to bathe, dress, or change themselves without assistance?
Beyond fostering socialization and maintaining human connections, the evolution of in-home care is guided by your loved one’s specific needs. Personal care services, including assistance with hygiene, mobility, light housekeeping, and grocery shopping, can be readily arranged.
We can also help reorganize your loved one’s main living spaces to remain safer and more accessible and provide transportation support to run errands and more.
Next Steps: Deciding When to Get Elderly Companion Care
While there are numerous advantages to home companion care, you might be uncertain if it’s the right time for you or your senior loved one. A simple question to consider is: “Do you anticipate increasing assistance needs in the future?” If the answer is yes, now is an ideal moment to establish ties with a reputable agency so you can ease into receiving other non-medical home care services as you need. Being prepared in advance is far better than searching for care during a potential crisis.