Companionship Care
Many people that we support benefit from having a handpicked Wellbeing Companion who shares similar interests. They provide companionship and bring joy and positivity; they can also help solve problems and spot opportunities to further enhance wellbeing.
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Wellbeing Companions usually visit a couple of times a week, and are managed by your Care and Wellbeing Consultant. They can visit people who live in their own homes or can go to see people living in care homes.
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They develop a long term relationship with the people they visit – one that is based on deep trust and a shared connection. They will learn about their life, get to know their character and quirks, and take part in activities together that are meaningful and fun.
Our Wellbeing Companions
Our Companions help with lots of tasks; they fit in where they are needed.
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Eric lives in a care home but he likes to do his own shopping in a supermarket with his Companion.
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Alma loves the beach but can’t visit them anymore. Her Companion did a visualisation technique with her to imagine and experience what it would be like to visit the seaside. It was so successful that then next time the Companion visited Alma asked if they were going to the beach again!
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Leo needed an electrician, so his Companion arranged one to come when they next visited.
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Wendy lives in care home and doesn’t have any family to do shopping for her, so her Companions buys her toiletries and clothes for her.
Percy
Branding
Percy was living with dementia and didn’t communicate much. Percy grew up in a village nearby so his Companion went to the village and made a video of the main street and the shops. When they showed the video to Percy he became very talkative and could remember what the shops used to be and other childhood memories.
Sylvia
Consulting
Sylvia was living with Parkinson’s and found it hard to get out. Her Companion shared her passion for gardening, so they visited her regularly to share pictures and talk about gardens and nature. Sylvia missed the birds in her garden so her Companion got her a CD of birdsong to listen to together.
Iris
Iris didn’t have any family, but always talked about her aunt who was a local celebrity. Her Companion found an interview with her aunt in the BBC archives. Iris was able to hear her aunt and she remembered her aunt visiting when she was a child.
Meaningful activities
They can do a wide range of activities that are known to be meaningful to the person they support. This could include:
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Getting out and about; from special visits to zoos or National Trust properties, to shopping or a coffee at a local café.
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Sharing meals.
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Playing and listening to music, or even going to a music event together.
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Arts & crafts activities (if appropriate).
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Celebrating birthdays and other important events.
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Bringing pets or other animals to visit.
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Watching their favourite TV shows together.
Sometimes, this is as simple as a really good conversation. Many older people are lonely, even when living surrounded by other people, and simply crave connection. Our Companions are experts at stimulating conversation and leading reminiscence activities.
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Other times, it can involve a bit more adventure. They might accompany someone to the theatre, go on a drive to reminisce about the places someone lived and worked, or perhaps go on a stroll to sample the best ice cream in town. Our Companions have a lot of ideas that will help to create that all-important connection with someone.
Visiting people in a care home
Many of our Wellbeing Companions visit people who live in care homes. Carrie, one of our Wellbeing Companions, has written about this on our blog pages. Carrie demonstrates the support, creativity and connection she brings to every single one of the people she visits.
End of life
It is important to mention that our Wellbeing Companions will often be there for someone right at the end. If needed, they can take part in ensuring the person they support has a good death, so they leave this world feeling loved and at peace.
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You can read about how our Companion Ruth did this for a lady she supported called Clare. Ruth read Clare poems, brought in her favourite flowers, reminded her how loved she was, held her hand and arranged her belongings around her where they would bring her comfort. Read Ruth’s blog here.
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What does companionship cost?
Most people we support chose to have a couple of two hour visits per week from our handpicked and highly skilled companions. They find the visits make a massive difference to their quality of life, and usually cost between £60 and £120 per week.
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Find out more
Whether visiting someone in their own home or in a care home, Wellbeing Companions exist to bring joy to someone. It goes beyond ensuring they’re safe and comfortable. They think creatively about what might add a bit of extra sparkle and allow an individual to maintain a sense of purpose and fulfilment in their life – no matter their age or circumstances.
If you know someone who would benefit from having a Wellbeing Companion in their life, please do get in touch. We’d love to help.