Loneliness: How Companionship Care Can Help
If you’ve ever felt the sting of loneliness, even briefly, you’ll know it’s more than just being alone. It’s a pain that can seep into your everyday activities. For many older adults, due to bereavement, health or mobility issues, it’s not just an occasional feeling or state of being. Unfortunately, for many, it’s persistent and can be harmful. Fortunately, our home care and the Care Professionals at Home Instead Ilkley are highly trained to spot the signs of loneliness, and we offer meaningful support.
The Health Toll of Loneliness
Loneliness isn’t just unpleasant. Studies now suggest that chronic loneliness has a health impact equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
The British Journal of Community Nursing highlights that loneliness is linked to increased risks of:
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Cognitive decline
- Depression
What’s more, research shows that up to one in five cases of depression in people over 50 could be prevented by tackling loneliness. That’s a powerful statistic — and one that underscores the need for compassionate, proactive support through a service like home care.
Yet, it’s not age itself that causes loneliness. It’s the ripple effects of ageing — like the loss of a spouse, moving away from familiar communities, or no longer having daily routines that include meaningful interaction.
At Home Instead Ilkley, Skipton and Settle, we believe no one should feel forgotten or disconnected — especially in later life. That’s where our amazing Care Professionals and our Companionship Care comes in.
A Different Kind of Care
Our companionship Care isn’t a box-ticking exercise. For us, it’s a relationship — one built on shared interests and trust.
We go beyond simply “matching availability” on a schedule to matching personalities. Our team takes the time to get to know our clients and our Care Professionals, ensuring every client-Care Pro match is made with shared values and mutual interests in mind.
It’s due to this care that our home care service has been so much more than help around the home, or support with medication. Our Care Professionals build real and lasting friendships with their clients.
Here are some examples from our community:
- We recently paired a former history professor with a Care Pro who’s a proud member of a local historical society. Their conversations now stretch across centuries — and hours! They visit the local museum together, and often share books and box sets!
- A client who loves gardening was matched with a Care Pro who counts getting her hands in the soil as her favourite weekend pastime. Now, they regularly head to local nurseries for a look around, and when it’s wet, will head to the local garden centre coffee shop for a coffee and a chat.
We find that when there is a shared passion, a sense of companionship becomes deeply rooted and wonderful friendships are created. Our clients look forward to their visits and show improved levels of motivation and well-being. It goes both ways – our Care Pros sincerely value the friendships they create with their clients and look forward to their visits just as much.
Introducing Our New Companionship Café in Ilkley!
To combat loneliness among older adults in our community, we host a Companionship Café in Ilkley — a friendly, welcoming, and fun monthly get-together for older adults, their loved ones or carers, and our local Care Professionals. There’s always time for a catch-up, a raffle, quizzes and different entertainment each month, guaranteed to get everyone singing and laughing.
Whether you’re coming along for the first time or a regular client looking forward to seeing some familiar faces, our café is all about supporting our community out of loneliness through meaningful connections in a warm, local setting. We hope to see you at a Cafe soon- please keep an eye on our Facebook page.
Why This Matters
At Home Instead, we don’t believe in “just enough” care. We believe in care that transforms. That means supporting not only physical wellbeing but emotional and social wellbeing too.
Because when someone feels seen, heard, and valued, everything changes.
Loneliness may be a growing issue, but it doesn’t have to be a given. Through Home Instead Ilkley’s thoughtful companionship and community initiatives like our café, we’re committed to making sure older adults in Ilkley, Skipton and Settle feel connected, supported and truly at home in their community.
If you’re looking for support for a loved one — or just want to have a conversation about what’s possible — our local team is here and ready to help.
