Whether a care worker is helping someone get ready for the day, preparing a meal or providing more involved support, there is also time spent talking, listening and getting to know the person.

For some clients, companionship is the main reason we visit.

Someone may be living quite independently at home but spending more time alone than they used to. Others may be housebound and have very few opportunities to see people or stay connected with what is happening outside their home. For some, a visit from their care worker may be their main regular contact with the outside world.

A companionship visit might simply mean spending time together at home or going out and doing something the person enjoys.

And although there may be no personal care to provide, our care workers are still attentive to how the person is. If something seems different or they notice a concern or potential risk during the visit, they'll let the office team know so that it can be followed up where needed.

There are many reasons why someone might start going out less or find it harder to continue with things they used to enjoy.

Their health or mobility may have changed. They may feel frailer, anxious about going out alone or less confident following an illness, fall or time in hospital. Sometimes having another person alongside them can make a real difference.

A care worker might accompany someone to the shops, an appointment or out for lunch. They might go for a walk, visit a garden centre or simply get out of the house for a while.

For someone who has lost confidence, having a familiar care worker alongside them can help them start doing more again, at their own pace.

Not everyone is able or wants to go out. For some clients, time at home together is just as important. It might be spent chatting, looking through photographs, doing something around the house or simply enjoying each other's company.

We get to know what the person enjoys and what matters to them, rather than arriving with a set idea of how a companionship visit should be spent.

Starting with companionship

Sometimes families contact us because they can see that a little support would help, but the person themselves isn't comfortable with the idea of having care.

Starting with companionship can work well. A care worker might initially visit for a chat, an outing or to do some shopping together, giving the person time to get to know them without introducing help they don't yet want.

For some people, companionship continues to be all the support they need. For others, having a familiar care worker already in their life can make it easier to introduce additional help later if their needs change.

Having care doesn't have to mean handing over the things you can still do for yourself.

Sometimes a little support or encouragement is enough for someone to continue with an everyday activity, get out of the house or feel more confident doing something they have started to find difficult.

Our care workers get to know what each person is able to do and where a little help makes a difference. The aim is to support that independence, rather than automatically taking over.

That can be as simple as doing something together, being nearby if reassurance is needed or allowing a little more time so that the person can continue doing as much as possible for themselves.