Companion care is a unique form of long-term care, focused on providing seniors with friendship, emotional support, and practical help with everyday activities. It is a popular form of care for seniors who would rather “age in place” in the comfort and safety of home. Companion care in Nashville represents a strong first step for families who realize they may need help for their aging loved one, but who also want to enable them to remain in their own homes.
What Is Companion Care?
Companion care is a form of home care offering non-medical services to older adults or people with disabilities. The goal of companion care is primarily emotional support and socialization, although companions may help older adults with other tasks, including:
Light housekeeping
Washing clothing and dishes
Running errands such as grocery shopping
Planning and scheduling appointments and social activities
Transportation to medical or dental appointments
Preparing meals
Socialization and entertainment
Communicating with family members and other care team professionals
Companion care may be provided on a formal or informal basis. Some older adults have friends who “drop by” routinely for friendly visits and to help them manage tasks. More formal companion care arrangements, with regularly scheduled visitation hours, are on offer through many local organizations or independent contractors.
Though companion care focuses on seniors who live at home, it can be provided to those living in nursing homes and assisted senior living facilities.
Companion Care vs. Personal Care
One of our basic needs as humans is social interaction and companionship. This doesn’t suddenly go away once we reach a certain age. That is what companion care is for—companionship and non-medical services including:
Providing travel company for appointments or errands
Planning, preparing, and cleaning up after meals
Cleaning, dusting, and other light house cleaning tasks
Washing, drying, ironing, folding, and putting away clothes and linens
On the other hand, personal care provides basic medical and personal services like assisting with medication needs, measuring pulse and blood pressure, and help with toileting and bathing. Unlike companion caregivers, personal caregivers must have formal training as either Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) or Home Health Aides (HHAs).
The Benefits of Companion Care in Nashville
Companion care in Nashville provides a variety of benefits that make life more manageable for seniors. That said, it is the “companion” part of companion care that is most important, particularly for those seniors who live by themselves and experience significant difficulty making their way out of the house or maintaining the everyday duties of modern life.
Seniors who live independently tend to experience long bouts of loneliness and feelings of isolation. Companion care allows them to engage in conversation, take walks with their caregivers, and even play games. Perhaps most importantly, companion provide a sympathetic listener.
Likewise, by helping seniors travel to their healthcare and therapy appointments, the grocery store, or to the local senior center for activities, companions empower older adults, helping them to stay active and engaged.
Many seniors and people with disabilities struggle with mobility and other physical challenges. This makes carrying out everyday tasks like cooking meals, washing dishes, caring for pets, and folding laundry more difficult. By taking care of such tasks, companions alleviate a huge burden from their care recipients. This results in increased physical and mental health, as well as a greater quality of life.
The mental benefits alone of companion care in Nashville include:
The prevention of loneliness and avoidance of social isolation. Seniors living independently at home often struggle with feelings of loneliness and isolation. This can be difficult for their loved ones to witness. Companion care provides seniors with the opportunity to be around and socialize with other people.
The maintenance of social skills. Your aging loved one may not have as many friends as they used to, or their children and other loved ones may live too far away for regular visits. Companion care allows them to feel part of a community again.
Greater independence. Companion care allows seniors to participate in activities they enjoy without constantly relying on loved ones. This can prove extremely beneficial to seniors who hate asking for help. After all, with companion care, the help is offered without their asking.
Greater mental stimulation. Companion care allows seniors the opportunity to engage in stimulating activities with their caregiver, such as card games or taking a walk in a park. Such activities provide mental and physical stimulation. They also make for a healthy distraction from some of the more difficult challenges in their lives.
Stimulation of positive thoughts and experiences. In many cases, companion care provides seniors the opportunity to try new things. This can include anything from trying a new activity to visiting a new place. Such stimulation ushers in spontaneity, excitement, and joy to an aging loved one’s life.
Peace of mind for the family. Often, family members struggle with being away from their aging loved ones. They may feel guilty for not “being there” for them, or they do not know what more they might do to help. With companion care, family members can rest assured in the knowledge that their loved one is in good hands.
How Companion Care Can Help You and Your Loved One
Seniors living in their own homes may eventually have difficulty managing everyday household tasks. This difficulty can stem from the loss of mobility that comes with aging or cognitive decline from the onset of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
When family members work full-time or tend to other obligations, it can be difficult to ensure that an aging loved one makes their regular doctor appointments or fulfill everyday duties like grocery shopping or caring for beloved pets.
These seniors, particularly if they no longer drive and lack access to public transportation, can find the help they need with companion care. Also, seniors who live alone and may not have many friends or family members nearby can find the help and companionship they need with companion care. This makes companion care is a valuable benefit for senior facing challenges in matters relating to household chores. It can also be a big help to those at risk of isolation, or who need transportation to appointments and other locations.
If your aging loved one is having trouble managing everyday tasks but wants to age in place, companion care can be an extremely helpful service, one that enables your aging loved on to maintain some independence and stay at home.
Find Companion Care in Nashville
If you’re looking to offer your aging loved one effective companion care in Nashville, Luxury Home Care can help. We provide families with education, resources, and other tools to help your loved one. We are here to offer customizable companion care programs. For more information and assistance in learning how your loved one can benefit from our services, contact us today.
