What is companion care? What it is and when you need it.

Why should you care about it?

And when does your loved one need it?

What is companion care?

You might be the adult daughter that has to live apart from Mom because that is the nature of your job.

Or perhaps, you are caring for your spouse but still have 50 other things you have to accomplish in a day.

You want to be there for your loved one but doing so is just difficult with all your responsibilities.

On the other hand, your loved one is mobile and can do most things for themselves.

They can cook, bathe themselves and get dressed.

But you still feel somebody should be around to help them.

This is where you might start to think about companion care.

Companion care provides services that promote independence for your loved one.

They are there to help with those chores that your loved one could do but might need some help completing.

Here are a list of ways a companion can be helpful to you and your family.

Light housekeeping. Dusting, mopping, laundry, pet care, plant care, bathroom cleaning, kitchen cleaning, washing dishes. These are just a handful of examples of what a companion could help with.
Transportation. Companions can help with transportation. If your loved one needs to go to the store to pick up groceries or needs to go to the doctor, this is an area where companions can help.
Meal preparation. Companions can help your loved one make meals too.
Communication assistance. Companions can help your loved one make calls and communicate with love ones and essential service providers like electricians and plumbers as needed.
Companionship. Several psychological and sociological studies provide show us that, human beings need other human beings. Most older adults live by themselves. It is easy to feel lonely with all the children and grandchildren gone. A companion, in addition to all the services listed above, could also provide your loved one with friendship; somebody to go shopping with and converse with.

The biggest difference here is that most people who choose companion care, can still do a lot for themselves.

Like I mentioned earlier, they are still able to perform activities of daily living such as bathing and dressing up.

They just need an extra hand to help them get everything done.

Complete home care on the other hand, helps people who are dependent on other people for their daily activities.

Home care aides will care for loved ones who have been discharged from the hospital or who need mobility assistance.

In both cases, companion care and home care allow your loved one (especially an older adult) to stay home successfully.

At Green Tree Home Care, we provide both companion care and home care depending on your needs.

And in either case, you will not be disappointed.

If you live in the Greater San Diego and Orange County areas, we are a simple phone call away.

Did you find this post helpful? Share it with someone else who is exploring companion care options for their loved one.