Loneliness does measurable damage, and it rarely announces itself. Companion visits exist for the person who is still managing perfectly well but has stopped going out, stopped cooking properly, or stopped answering the phone.
A companion caregiver drives to appointments, does the weekly shop alongside rather than instead of, cooks a meal that gets eaten at the table, and stays for the crossword. Two hours a week is a real starting point and plenty of families never need more.
It is also the gentlest way in when a parent is refusing help. Company is easy to accept; the practical support can arrive later, once trust is there.
