Companion Services: The Friendly Option

Article submitted by Nikki Jessup, owner of Friendly Hearts Senior Services, a non-medical, full service senior companion company in Naples, Florida. She can be reached at 239-280-9683 or visit their website at www.friendlyheartsfl.com.

As we grow older, certain aspects of life become more difficult. The ability to maintain the lifestyle of our younger years often becomes a daily challenge. This may be due, in large part, to health or medical related conditions, or may merely be the rigors of aging. We tend to rely on our doctors to come up with solutions to our everyday problems. However, many areas where seniors need assistance fall just outside of the realm of the medical community. Activities such as grocery shopping, preparing meals, making and getting to appointments, and maintaining a home become arduous tasks and can create undue stress. With such emphasis on daily responsibilities, little time is left to do the things we actually enjoy. This is where Companion Services become a vital resource. The recent rise in popularity of Companion Services is directly related to the growing senior population and their desire to keep hold of their current lifestyles and independence.

#1 Misconception of Companion Services

A very common misconception of non-medical Companion agencies is they are viewed as merely "babysitters" for the elderly. This quite possibly may have been the intent of the past. However, today, seniors are living longer and much more active lives. They are not simply content with sitting on the porch and "watching", they are intent on "doing".

The main goal of any Companion Service agency should be to assist seniors with non-medical challenges in their lives so that they may maintain or enhance their overall quality of life. A successful Companion Service agency must realize and adapt to the ever-growing needs of seniors and offer the proper array of services to meet those needs.

Offering a New Approach

This is precisely why I started Friendly Hearts Senior Services. As a previous partner of a Companion Service agency, I had the opportunity to have many conversations with clients about what they thought would make their lives easier and more fulfilling. With input from these unique perspectives, as well as my own observations, I came to realize that an exceptional Companion Service must be, above all else, flexible. It became obvious that offering only companionship and minor assistance, while helpful and rewarding, was simply not enough. Each of my clients had their own unique needs, desires, and goals. In many cases, they did not know where to look to find the resources they required.

Friendly Hearts is a Companion Service agency, but can be best described as a "full service" companion company. We aspire to provide dependable services to seniors and their families built upon the principles of compassion, honesty, and dignity. We offer traditional non-medical Companion Services such as personalized visitations, shopping, errands, meal preparation, light housekeeping, transportation to appointments, and medication reminders. Where we differ from other Companion Service agencies is in our understanding of the endless variety of needs and expectations of today's seniors. In addition to the traditional services offered, our Concierge Service provides assistance in areas such as event and trip planning, personal scheduling, coordinating with other agencies and contacts, moving or finding alternative living arrangements, etc. Through experience, I have learned that many seniors who are living in their own homes often have a difficult time maintaining their residence. As a response to this need, we offer a Handyman Service to assist with minor household repairs, safety equipment installation, hurricane and emergency preparedness, and residential security surveys. The list of services that we offer is not fixed, because the requirements of our clients are always growing and ever changing. We strive to offer a solution to as many of their challenges as possible. We engage in a cooperative effort with our clients so that we can provide them with access to a full range of services that contribute to the high standard of living they deserve.

Along with providing a multitude of services, it is equally important to have qualified, dependable staff members. Our number one hiring standard at Friendly Hearts is that we will only hire an individual that we would feel comfortable sending to visit our own mom or dad!

Another favorable option at Friendly Hearts is that our clients are not obligated to secure a contract with us to receive any of our services. When you need us, we will be there. When you don't need us...we will still be thinking about you!

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