--- title: "Companionship for older parents: options that work" description: "Companionship options for older parents in the UK — befriending, lunch clubs, paid companions and family routines that keep contact regular." lang: en-GB json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://youcarereminders.co.uk/#organization", "name": "You Care Reminders", "url": "https://youcarereminders.co.uk", "email": "hello@youcarereminders.co.uk", "areaServed": "GB" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://youcarereminders.co.uk/#website", "name": "You Care Reminders", "url": "https://youcarereminders.co.uk", "publisher": { "@id": "https://youcarereminders.co.uk/#organization" }, "inLanguage": "en-GB" } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "How do I find a befriending scheme?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Start with Age UK's local branch finder and your council's community directory. Many schemes have telephone options with no waiting list." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Is paid companionship worth it?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "For many families, yes — it is usually cheaper than personal care and addresses the thing people actually miss." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "They say they do not want company. What then?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Try something with a purpose attached rather than company for its own sake: a class, a group with a task, a shared job." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can you remind about a weekly call?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes, and prompting both sides a few minutes beforehand is one of the most-used reminders we see." } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://youcarereminders.co.uk/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Caring for elderly parents", "item": "https://youcarereminders.co.uk/caring-for-elderly-parents" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Companionship", "item": "https://youcarereminders.co.uk/companionship-for-older-parents" } ] } ] --- [You Care Reminders Caregiver Support ](/) [Home](/)[How it works](/features)[Pricing](/pricing)[FAQ](/faq)[Contact](/contact) [Sign in](/login)[Get started](/signup) 1. [Home](/) 2. [Caring for elderly parents](/caring-for-elderly-parents) 3. Companionship Company # Company, not just care Practical help gets arranged first because it is measurable. Company is what people actually miss, and it takes more organising than anyone expects. [Begin caring today for free](/signup)[How it works](/features) ## What is available in the UK - Befriending schemes, including telephone befriending run by Age UK and local charities. - Lunch clubs and day centres, often the cheapest and most sociable option going. - Paid companionship visits, which many home care agencies offer separately from personal care. - Faith groups, U3A, walking groups and community transport schemes. - A rota of family and friends calling at agreed times rather than at random. ## Regular beats spontaneous A call every Tuesday at four is worth more than three unplanned calls a month, because it can be looked forward to. Anticipation is a large part of the benefit. That is also why a reminder shortly before a scheduled call helps on both sides: the caller remembers, and the person is ready rather than caught unawares. ## Building it into the week Two fixed points is a reasonable target: one visit or outing, one regular call. Add more only once those two genuinely happen every week without effort. You Care Reminders can prompt both parties, which quietly removes the most common reason these arrangements fade out. ## When it is more than loneliness Persistent low mood, loss of interest, poor sleep and appetite are depression, which is common in later life and very treatable. That is a GP conversation, not a social one. ## The wider picture around 1 in 14 people aged 65 and over in England report feeling lonely often or always. Source: [Age UK](https://www.ageuk.org.uk/our-impact/policy-research/loneliness-research-and-resources/) 3.9 million people aged 65 and over in the UK live alone, around a third of that age group. Source: [Office for National Statistics](https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/families/datasets/familiesandhouseholdsfamiliesandhouseholds) ## Being straight with you You Care Reminders is a non-medical wellness tool, not a monitoring service and not an alarm. Delivery is best effort rather than guaranteed, and it must not be used for medication reminders. If you are worried about someone's health, speak to their GP; in an emergency, call 999. ## Questions carers ask ### How do I find a befriending scheme? ### Is paid companionship worth it? ### They say they do not want company. What then? ### Can you remind about a weekly call? ## Read next - [Loneliness in later life](/loneliness-in-later-life) - [Loneliness call reminders](/loneliness-call-reminders) - [Activities at home](/dementia-activities-at-home) - [Caring for elderly parents](/caring-for-elderly-parents) ## Set the first reminder tonight It takes about five minutes, costs nothing to start, and the person you care for has nothing to install. [Begin caring today for free](/signup)[See plans](/pricing) You Care Reminders Thoughtful reminders that help families stay quietly connected to the people they love. Wellness support, not medical advice. 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