Helping Old Friends is a new West Swindon-based company offering friendship and companionship to older people living alone in the town.
Founder Katrina Simms has more than 25 years’ experience in the elderly care sector
It also offers practical help for those who need it.
For many elderly people, living alone is an isolating experience, which can have a detrimental effect on their mental and physical health.
Founder Katrina Simms, who has more than 25 years’ experience working in the elderly care sector, said: “We realised there was a need for a service providing, more than anything, companionship to people who, for whatever reason, find themselves living alone and isolated.
“Sometimes older people need to have a person just to talk to or do the crossword with. Perhaps someone to replace that lightbulb, to help navigate around the internet, to mow the lawn or put the shopping away, or take them to the hairdressers – those little jobs they might struggle with.”
Helping Old Friends aims to give peace of mind to families who may not be able to visit as often as they would like. As well as providing home visits, the company can install equipment, with different levels of monitoring.
Katrina said: “The equipment is Internet of Things enabled and reports to a dashboard, flagging up any out-of-the-ordinary events, so we can step in quickly to help.”
Katrina is now looking for more companions to join. No experience is needed, and they don’t deliver any personal care or assistance with medication. They just need their own vehicle.
She added: “We’re looking for caring and compassionate people with a wealth of life experiences and skills to join us, who can relate to the ageing process. No experience necessary but lots of heart required.”
More information can be obtained by calling 01793 550895, emailing [email protected] or visiting http://helpingoldfriends.co.uk/
Your Comments
Be the first to comment on this article
Login or Register to post a comment on this article