What Is a Personal Companion?
Have you been wondering how you can support a strong quality of life for yourself, your partner, or an aging loved one? You’ve come to the right place.
Today, we’re going to break down the valuable role personal companions play in the lives of millions of aging individuals across the country. We’ll walk you through the companion care definition, average costs, home companion examples, and the major benefits of partnering with professional, personal companions.
Ready to explore how these unsung heroes help our loved ones lead more fulfilling, independent lives? Let’s dive in!
What Is a Personal Companion?
A personal companion is a specialized form of an in-home companion care provider.
Personal companions aim to support the emotional, mental, and social needs of the elderly, people with disabilities, and those recuperating from illnesses, injuries, or surgeries.
Unlike most care providers, like nurses, doctors, or physical therapists, personal companions are not responsible for providing hands-on medical care. Instead, personal companions aim to improve their patients’ day-to-day experiences through trustworthy companionship, light personal care, and day-to-day support.
Personal companions fill a crucial gap in elder care — empowering aging individuals to lead fulfilling, active, and independent lives in the comfort of their own homes as they navigate health challenges.
The personalized, non-medical assistance personal companions provide to their elderly patients allows them to benefit from friendly interactions, empathetic assistance, and specialized support — the perfect combination for individuals interested in improving their quality of living without sacrificing their autonomy.
The additional layer of support provided by personal companions is also great for family members, friends, and other individuals responsible for the care, companionship, and support of aging or ill loved ones.
What Is a Companionship Caregiver Job Description?
A companionship caregiver job description is used to attract, engage, and onboard high-quality caregivers.
Companies in companion care services create caregiver job descriptions to attract workers with strong experience providing a range of caregiving services. The best resident companion job descriptions also prioritize attracting senior companions that demonstrate high levels of empathy, patience, and friendliness.
Interested in learning more about them? Great! We’re breaking down the most common duties of a paid companion for elderly individuals in the next section.
What Are the Duties of a Companion?
While companionship caregiver job descriptions vary between companies, states, and scopes of care, there are a few universal skills, responsibilities, and tasks companionship caregivers should expect to appear in every job description.
Let’s take a look at the three most common duties of a patient companion.
Companionship
Depression, anxiety, loneliness, and isolation have grown into alarming issues for elderly adults across America. Personal companions solve this disturbing trend by providing regular and reliable access to genuine social engagement. Personal companions have been known to engage in bond-building activities like:
- Playing games
- Watching shows and movies
- Reading their patients’ favorite books
Non-Medical Care
While personal companions are not certified or licensed for activities like medication management, physical therapy, or making diagnoses, they are experts when it comes to:
- Supervision, monitoring, and reporting
- Medication, exercise, and diet reminders
- Patient advocacy and communication with other care providers
- Providing mobility assistance in, around, and outside the home
Personal Care
Senior companions also boost their patients’ quality of life by providing light personal care services ranging from housekeeping and meal-planning to grooming, and even errand assistance.
If you’re considering a personal care companion for yourself, your partner, or your loved one, look for companion care services that provide personal care support services like:
- Meal planning and preparation
- Dressing and undressing
- Light personal grooming
- Light housekeeping
- Transportation
- Errand running
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Companion?
The cost of home health aid care services in the U.S. is roughly $5,100 a month. The average hourly wage of professional companions in the United States is $32.
While these averages can give you an idea of how much it costs to hire a companion, prices vary significantly depending on patient needs, service provider availability, and location.
For example, the average cost of companion care in West Virginia is $1,500 below the national average, at $3,500 a month. Minnesota, on the other hand, outpaces the average cost by $1,500, with an average monthly fee of almost $7,000.
Does Medicare Cover Companion Care?
Medicare does cover companion care in all 50 states. Medicare will typically cover part-time companion care (>35 hours a week) and/or intermittent companion care for individuals requiring in-home skilled care.
It’s important to note requirements, restrictions, and regulations vary between states. For the most accurate information, seek out “senior companions near me” that can provide first-hand insight into Medicare coverage in your state.
How Senior Home Companions Can Help
Senior Home Companions has been leading the senior companion industry for more than 30 years. If you want to learn more about companion care definition or the benefits of in-home companionship, reach out to one of our experts today.