Companion service
Companionship
Good conversation and familiar routines, with someone who feels like family.
Companionship is non-medical time with someone who comes for the person, not for a task. A companion visits to talk, share tea or a meal, play cards, or go for a walk. You choose someone who speaks the same language and knows the same traditions, so nothing has to be explained first.
What a visit looks like
Tea and the news in the language spoken at home. A walk around the block. A card game that gets competitive. Old photographs, and the stories that come with them. Some visits are busy and some are quiet, and both count.
The same person comes back week after week. They learn how someone takes their tea and which stories they love to tell. When family cannot be there every day, that is often the whole point.
What a companion does
- Conversation in the language they are most at home in
- Walks and fresh air, at their pace
- Cards, puzzles, music, films, and old hobbies
- A shared meal or a cup of tea
- Reading aloud, from the newspaper to a prayer book
- Reminders for plans and medication the family has already set
- Phone and video calls with friends and family
What a companion does not do
- Counselling or therapy, including for grief. A companion listens; they do not advise
- Recommendations about health, treatment, medication, or diet
- Clinical help at an appointment or treatment
- Speaking to medical staff for someone, or deciding for them
- Personal care such as bathing, dressing, or toileting
- Staying with someone who is not safe without medical or personal care
A companion goes with you; they never drive you and never provide the vehicle. You arrange the ride, or you travel together by transit, taxi or rideshare.
Saheli is non-medical. Companions do not replace family, nurses, doctors, or personal support workers. They add something different: human presence.
On every visit, whatever the service, a companion does not provide:
- Counselling or therapy
- Advice about health, treatment, diet, legal matters, or money
- Lifting or transferring someone who cannot bear their own weight
- Handling money or signing documents
- Nursing or medical care, including injections, wound care, or monitoring a health condition
- Administering medication. A companion does not give, measure, sort, or apply it, or decide anything about it. Reminders for a plan already set are fine
- Anything that needs a regulated health professional
For anything medical, speak to a doctor, nurse, or pharmacist. In an emergency, call 911.
Who this is for
People who want more connection in their days, and families who want someone there when they cannot be.
At home
Someone living on their own, or recovering at home
Days can pass without a real conversation, and coming home after a hospital stay can be lonelier than anyone expects. A regular visit brings talk, a shared meal, a game of cards, and a bit of normal.
For a younger person
A child or young adult with additional needs
Company on their own terms: a game, a drawing, a walk, a shared interest, with someone patient who learns what works for them. A parent or guardian arranges the visit and stays responsible for their care. This is companionship, not childcare, tutoring, or therapy.
At the hospital or an appointment
Someone who does not want to go alone
Dialysis, an infusion, a long wait in a clinic: the hours are easier with someone beside you. Where visitors are allowed, a companion sits with them, talks, reads, or is simply there. Companionship only, never clinical help or advice.
In a retirement or long-term care home
Someone whose family cannot visit often
Staff look after the care. A companion comes just for them: someone who speaks their language, knows their food and festivals, and feels like family when family cannot be there. They visit within the home's rules and take no part in the care.
For families and caregivers
A family that cannot always be there
You work, you live across town or across an ocean, or you give care every day and need a few hours back. A companion you choose keeps the visits going, and gives you room to breathe.
Finding their place
Someone new to the country, or more at home in another language
Everything is easier in the language you think in. A companion who shares the language, the food, and the customs makes a new place feel more like home.
Through life's changes
Someone facing grief or a big change
After a loss, a move, retirement, or a quieter house, the days feel different. A companion brings patience and a listening ear. They do not counsel or advise; for that, speak to a qualified professional.
Everyday companionship
Someone who simply wants a friendly face
Not every need has a label. Tea, a walk, a café, the library, a favourite hobby: all better with someone alongside.
How it works
- 01
Browse companions
Use the filters to find people who fit your language, community, and needs.
- 02
Choose who feels right
Review companions and decide who you want to meet. Nobody gets assigned to you.
- 03
Agree on the details
You and the companion set the visits, tasks, and hourly rate before care starts.
Companions who offer this
Each companion sets their own hourly rate, and you see it before you book.
Dedicated caregiver with a passion for supporting seniors age with dignity.
Activities of daily living note below:- bathing Toileting grooming Feeding Walks Medication reminders Exercises Errands Companionship
I enjoy spending meaningful time with people through friendly conversations, including regular telephone conversations, listening to their stories, go…
I’m passionate about helping others, building meaningful connections, and creating a safe, welcoming environment.
A warm, caring, and dependable companion dedicated to person-centered care.
I’m a caring, patient, and reliable person with a PSW background and a degree in psychology.
Questions
What happens on a companionship visit?
Whatever the person enjoys: conversation, tea or a meal, a walk, cards, music, old photographs. You and the companion agree on it before visits start.
Can we find a companion who speaks our language?
Yes. Search by language and community, read the profiles, and choose who feels right. Nobody gets assigned to you.
How often do companions visit?
As often as you and the companion agree. Once a week is common, some families book more, and you can change it as things change.
Can a companion visit someone in a retirement or long-term care home?
Yes. A companion visits the way a relative or friend would, following the home's visiting hours and sign-in rules, so check with the home first. Many families choose someone who speaks their relative's language. The companion is there for conversation and connection; the home's staff provide all the care.
Is companionship the same as personal care or home care?
No. A companion does not bathe, dress, lift, or administer medication, and does not replace a nurse, a personal support worker, or a home care agency. Many families use companionship alongside those services.
Do companions give advice or counselling?
No. A companion listens and spends time with you. They do not counsel, diagnose, or recommend anything about health, treatment, medication, or diet, and they do not administer medication. They can remind you of a schedule your family or doctor has already set.
What does companionship cost?
Each companion sets their own hourly rate, shown on their profile before you book. Saheli adds a service fee as its own line before checkout, and the companion keeps their full rate.
Find care that feels like family
Browse vetted companions, matched on language and the traditions that already feel like home.