Companionship

Did you know that recent research reveals there’s a surprisingly strong link between social needs and health—even longevity? In one survey, four out of five physicians (85 percent) report that unmet social needs directly lead to worse health. The doctors say a patient’s social needs are just as important to address as their medical conditions. If these physicians could write prescriptions to cover their patients’ social needs, these scripts would account for 1 out of every 7 prescriptions they’d write.

Of course, your aging parent’s physician cannot write a prescription to cure their isolation and loneliness. Overcoming these emotional challenges can be difficult for seniors, especially if they live alone. As seniors age, they often lose touch with others due to special circumstances that limit their ability to travel, drive a car, or otherwise stay connected to family and friends.

But there is an answer. For many seniors, home care fills the social gap created by growing older. Senior home companions monitor and protect a senior’s safety, health and wellness, handle everyday household tasks—and provide much-needed social interaction. Elderly companions meet an aging parent’s social needs by providing supportive conversation, helping to plan social outings, and providing a little friendly encouragement to do light exercise and stay mentally active.