If you’re supporting an aging loved one still living at home, then it’s likely you’ve looked into a variety of options for at-home care. One of the most common types of care available is elder companion care. But does companion care work? And does it actually help seniors stay in their homes longer?
At Navigate Wellness, we believe that great companion care is a critical part of aging at home. But our years of experience in the healthcare and geriatric care industries have informed our answer to the question, “Does companion care work?” And our answer: it’s complicated.
To really understand the role of at-home care for seniors in aging independently, we have to examine what companion care is and how it fits into the bigger picture of healthcare for seniors. Read on to learn more about the benefits of companion care and whether it truly helps with aging at home.
What Is Companion Care?
Companion care is a type of non-medical support that focuses on improving quality of life through social interaction, emotional support, and light assistance with daily tasks. It’s ideal for older adults who want to stay in their own home but could benefit from a helping hand and a friendly face.
At Navigate Wellness, we believe the best companion care is relationship-centered and whole-person focused. Our companion caregivers don’t just show up to check boxes. They show up to build trust, get to know your loved one as a person, and help them feel seen, supported, and safe.
Depending on your loved one’s needs, a companion caregiver might:
- Provide conversation and companionship – playing games, chatting, watching TV together, or simply offering presence
- Help with errands and transportation, from grocery runs to doctor’s appointments
- Assist with light housekeeping, such as laundry, dishes, or keeping the home tidy
- Support with meal planning and preparation
- Encourage hobbies and activities that support mental and emotional well-being
- Provide peace of mind for family members who can’t always be there in person
Put simply, companion care is compassionate, intentional support that helps older adults stay engaged, independent, and connected to life.
Is Companion Care Enough? Insights From a Senior Care Expert
In-home companion care for seniors is a critical service that many aging individuals and their families rely on. But is it enough? Can companion care alone help seniors stay in their homes longer?
That’s where the answer gets a little more complicated, according to Navigate Wellness co-founder and care navigator Janie Bailey:
In the 15+ years I have worked in geriatric healthcare, one thing I hold as an indisputable truth is this: The most supportive care is interdisciplinary, and siloed care is always stressful. This is the foundation of Navigate Wellness – an interdisciplinary care team. I don’t have all the answers, but at Navigate Wellness, we are on a mission to find them.
As I worked in various healthcare settings, I couldn’t help but notice what wasn’t working. I felt tension, and I noticed outdated models that people tried to upgrade without much success. I’ve sat through many presentations of folks claiming to have the newest technology that will save the healthcare model.
But here’s the deal – the answer for a better impact is never less human contact, the answer is always more human contact. And not just more humans, but humans of varying perspectives, abilities, and expertise. In the industry, we call this an “interdisciplinary approach to healthcare.
At Navigate Wellness, we realized that one major hole in healthcare is a lack of coordination between interdisciplinary teams. It doesn’t really matter how many caring, competent & qualified experts you have on your team – if they aren’t collaborating towards a common goal, it’s still going to feel disjointed and stressful at best. At worst, it’s going to feel like a bunch of opposing opinions with no clear path to follow. In this scenario, patient health can actually decline.
This is exactly why Navigate Wellness was founded – to focus on the coordination of various healthcare systems. We didn’t need to reinvent the wheel; we needed to get all of these very capable wheels moving in the same direction.
This means that in addition to offering single services like companion care, we also provide key coordination, communication, family caregiver support, advocacy, proactive planning, companionship, concierge nurses, mobility, in-home treatments, and end-of-life support.
The Navigate Wellness Companion Care Difference
At Navigate Wellness, we believe companion care “works” when it’s provided alongside other support services. And when coordination and communication are present between all aspects of senior care.
Our companion caregivers are led by Care Navigators & Registered Nurses, who are also intimately involved with the client. Companion caregivers may also coordinate with our mobility specialists, for example, to help support a patient’s movement during a visit. They help our concierge nurses by alerting them to any changes in a patient’s day-to-day health or behavior.
Put simply, all our various branches are working toward a common goal: to keep our clients at home and to change the way we age in Columbia, MO. Without any one branch, the model is broken. In other words, companion care works – but only when it’s part of a coordinated, interdisciplinary system.
This is what is keeping people at home. This is the change that is flipping geriatric health on its head. It is not one single service that creates high-quality senior care – it is the collaboration of them all.
Learn more about our Companion Care services or explore our full-service senior care support options. If you’re ready for this kind of help, contact Navigate Wellness today to book a Clarity Call.
