Senior Companion Care Services

What Is Companion Care?

Companion care is a fairly generic term in the senior care industry. Other terms include personal care and homemaker services. It’s a service that you can receive at home, in hospice, or an assisted living situation.

The role of a companion caregiver changes based on the senior’s needs, but the goal is always to:

• Provide emotional support
• Improve quality of life
• Provide companionship

Companion care can also include physical care, such as grocery shopping, house cleaning, and chores that support or maintain the independence of a senior or couple. Ultimately, companion care should help you enjoy life.

Who Provides Companion Services for Seniors?

Senior companions are people who provide a needed and consistent presence in a senior’s life. Some are paid and some are volunteers. Others are de facto companion caregivers — supportive family members who frequently visit their aging parents or grandparents.

Typically, a companion caregiver falls under one of the following categories:

• Certified home care agencies and hospice agencies provide medical and non-medical services. These agencies are strictly regulated by the federal government.
• Non-certified (and unlicensed) agencies provide non-medical home services.
• Independent contractors are self-employed and are hired directly by the family. These caregivers are usually not licensed.
• Volunteers through nonprofits or religious organizations are usually not licensed but might undergo background checks.

Regardless of where they come from, a senior companion maintains the link between the older adult and the rest of society. They provide emotional companionship, and in some cases, they provide physical care while lifting the burdens that come with getting older, loss of mobility, and mental decline.

Again, a senior companion doesn’t need medical training or a special certificate. Their role can be taking you grocery shopping, driving you to a doctor’s appointment, or sitting down with you regularly and enjoying a conversation.

What Are the Benefits of Senior Companionship?

Senior companionship improves the quality of life of older adults. And it goes beyond caregiving; it’s a symbiotic relationship that enables the older adult to thrive. Benefits of senior companionship include:

Benefits of senior companionship include:

• Reduced feelings of loneliness, isolation, and depression2
• Tackling challenges that come with aging, such as providing personal transportation for seniors who can no longer drive
• Offering an outlet for expressing grief and discussing challenges
• Giving seniors a resource for solving problems
• Access to more recreation and exercise opportunities, such as taking walks or playing games together
• Providing seniors with a sense of security
• Giving family members peace of mind knowing that their loved one is in good hands
• A regular (and possibly trained) set of eyes on a loved one to observe signs of aging, such as fall risk or memory loss

Older adults who spend lots of time alone face an increased risk for different conditions and diseases. This includes dementia, forgetfulness, heart attack, stroke, chronic inflammation, depression, anxiety, perceived stress, and loneliness.3 Hiring a companion caregiver can help you feel less lonely and improve your health.

What Are the Types of Companion Care?

You’ll likely encounter four types of companion care as you research options for yourself or a loved one. Let’s take a look.

Live-in Companion Care

Home care services usually offer live-in companion care. It involves 24-hour shifts by one or more people. This type of service is ideal for keeping a senior in their home as long as possible and usually involves many types of services. These can range from meal preparation and house cleaning to grooming, bathing, and transportation to appointments.

In-Home Companion Care

In-home companion care involves shorter visits with specific goals such as meal prep, assistance with bathing, and transportation to an appointment or the grocery store. For example, a companion comes for a few hours to help you prepare meals for the week.

There are also well-person checks that occur when friends, family, or other members of the community stop in regularly. Such support can come from a local church, neighbors, or a paid service.

Companion Hospice Care

Hospice provides companion care through a variety of means. A hospice service has volunteers who stop by to visit and help. Hospice volunteers might run errands for you or help transport you to appointments. Hospice also provides home health aids for personal needs and respite visits. Hospice is a dynamic organization, and other senior hospice companions include social workers, clergy, and nurses.

Religious-Based Companion Care

Many religious groups offer companion care; for example, Christian companion care or Catholic companion care. If you’re part of a religious community, reach out to see if it offers any companion care services for seniors. For example, some churches have shut-in ministries, where volunteers regularly visit members who spend their days at home. They might sit and watch a televised sermon with you, offer communion or prayer, or chat with you to help you feel less lonely.

What Services Does Companion Care Offer?

At its core, companion care is just as the name implies: companionship and someone to share experiences and personal stories with. This personal link can be crucial for seniors who live alone and may be isolated from others.

Seniors who engage in conversation and play games (bridge, Scrabble, etc.) with a companion are keeping an edge on their mental acuity. Studies show that these kinds of stimulation can help delay the effects of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.

Other companion care services include:

• Medication reminders
• Assistance with daily routines, such as getting out of bed and getting in and out of the car
• Performing light housekeeping duties
• Preparing and cooking meals
• Transportation assistance to the grocery store, doctor’s appointments, and errands
• Help with planning, scheduling, and keeping appointments
• Encouraging and planning social activities, such as local sightseeing trips, movies, shopping, visits with family and friends, and anything that keeps you busy and enjoying life
• Exercising to keep a healthy body, mind, and spirit, including walks in the neighborhood, swimming at the local pool, and anything that keeps you active
• Entertaining with hobbies, games, etc.
• Interacting with family members and setting up video calls
• Some providers may have dementia care training and experience to help seniors who are showing signs of the disease

How Much Does Companion Care Cost?

Costs for companion care will vary according to the level of care provided and the training of the caregiver. Other factors may include the local market and the reputation of the provider. The national median cost for a licensed homemaker or home health aide to provide companion care services is roughly $31 or $34 per hour, respectively.4 Services typically require a minimum of four hours per visit, so the actual cost per visit would be around $200.

More Affordable Companion Care Options

Does $200+ per visit sound like too much? Don’t worry! You can likely find non-licensed providers or independent contractors that charge less. For example, some churches offer companion ministries to congregants who are “shut-ins.” Apps and websites such as Care.com or Papa Pal can connect families with independent contractors offering companion care services at a range of price points.

Ways to Pay for Companion Care

Seniors and their loved ones typically pay for companion care out of pocket. But that isn’t your only option. Others include:

• Long-term care (LTC) insurance policies: Your policy might cover companion care services. Check with your insurer for more details.
• Home- and community-based services programs: Offered through Medicaid, these programs might help with the cost. Benefits vary by state, so speaking to your state’s Medicaid office or contacting your local Area Agency on Aging is a good starting point to find out what’s available where you live.
• VA home- and community-based services:5 This veteran’s benefit covers necessary services, including homemaker and home health aides for qualifying veterans. Speak to your VA case manager for more information. Veterans might also qualify for the VA’s Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers. Under this program, you can appoint one primary family caregiver who can receive financial assistance for providing you with care, including a monthly stipend.

Just keep in mind that Medicare does not pay for companion care. Additionally, home care companies typically charge by the visit or by the hour. Since there are licensed and unlicensed home care companies, you should thoroughly vet any potential companion and the company that employs them.

Questions to Consider When Choosing Companion Care Services

As you begin to narrow down your choice of companion care providers, consider these questions:

• Does the agency offer additional services like home health if my loved one’s condition worsens?
• Is the agency recommended by a hospital, social worker, doctor, or similar professional?
• Does the agency perform background checks on the staff?
• Does the employee have professional recommendations they can provide?
• Does the employee have any special certifications or skills (e.g., dementia care, nutrition, etc.)?
• Does the agency provide free in-home safety evaluations?
• Does the agency provide 24/7 service?
• How does the agency supervise the caregiver?
• How does the agency develop the client’s care plan?
• Is family involved with the care process?
• Is the client involved with their care process and plan?
• If the caregiver is unable to work on a given day, who is their replacement? How much notice are you given?
• Will the caregiver be the same person every time?
• What is the average time a caregiver stays with the agency?
• What are the payment options? Is there a payment plan?
• How are complaints handled if an issue arises?
• Are there additional fees, deposits, etc., not included in the quoted cost?
• Do holidays and weekends cost extra?

Is There Companion Care Near Me?

Odds are, there is! It’s just a matter of finding a person who can meet your needs. Before beginning your search, make a list of what you’re looking to gain from having a companion. That way, you can match up your needs and the skill set of any potential companion you find.

You can find senior companions through:

Home care companies typically charge by the visit or by the hour. Since there are licensed and unlicensed home care companies, you should thoroughly vet any potential companion and the company that employs them.

• Your local church or house of worship might offer shut-in services or an adopt-a-grandparent ministry.
• Community services, such as the AmeriCorps Senior Companion program, provide volunteers to help seniors with tasks such as grocery shopping or transportation to doctor's appointments.
• Social workers may have information about local programs.
• The State Department of Social or Health Services may have senior programs and provide information that helps you find the perfect senior companion.
• Assisted living centers may provide companion care as part of their service offerings.
• Hospice services
• Companion care services such as the Papa Pal app

A quick internet search or a phone call to your local senior center or house of worship is a great place to start your search. Search the internet for the type of companion care you’re looking for, followed by “near me” or “[city, state]”; for example, “home care companies near me.” You can also use our directory to search for companion care near you, read reviews, and get companion care pricing information.

You can also use our directory to search for companion care near you, read reviews, and get companion care pricing information.

And don’t forget, family members, friends, and neighbors make excellent companions! You might already have people in your life who would love to spend time with you and offer assistance. They just might not realize you need it!