COMPANION / HOUSEKEEPER

COMPANION CARER FOR THE ELDERLY

Loneliness is especially painful for the elderly, particularly when they are retired and living on their own. Even if they have loving families, their children will have their own busy careers and responsibilities making it impractical to keep them company on a full time basis. But everyone needs companionship – it’s the little things like seeing a friendly face, enjoying a chat with a cup of tea or even a day out with someone you consider a friend – it makes all the difference.

Employing a Companion Carer is the perfect solution for elderly people who are still living independently but need some support with household duties, want friendly company on a daily basis, and want to be secure in the knowledge that someone is sleeping in the house at night should anything happen. For this position we combine several services into one role: that of housekeeper, friend and carer. Duties often also include:

• general cleaning and laundry
• cooking and sharing meals with the person who needs the care
• companionship on a daily basis for the person who needs the care as well as help with their personal care such as washing and dressing
• knowing someone is there to release time to visit friends, or provide holiday relief
• being an advisor who knows the modern world of technology so they can help you connect with loved ones via internet.

Companion Carers are not medically qualified so can’t provide medical care to the seriously ill or infirm.

Companion Cares can really make a difference to someone’s quality of life.

From the families perspective a big benefit is that not all the responsibility for care of their loved one is all on their shoulders, especially important if the family lives far away, have busy lifestyles or if all the care is falling mainly on a wife or husband. This can lead to a deterioration in the spouses health and well-being over an extended period of time. It gives them the peace of mind that somebody is with their loved one on a permanent full-time basis, glad to help them day-to day, and also be there for the difficult moments of life.

A Companion Carers duties and the hours worked in this role are negotiable and a clear job description would need to be written into the contract. The family would also be expected to provide a separate bedroom and all meals for the Companion Carer.

The wage for a Companion Carer depends on the hours worked, experience and the range of duties. Usually weekly salaries are between £300 – £350 (assuming upto 50 hours per week with one day off per week).