At a glance
- Time together built around what your loved one enjoys: conversation, hobbies, games, walks, meals and outings.
- Practical company: shopping, pharmacy runs, hair and medical appointments, and getting out and about.
- Overnight companionship, as a sleeping-night service for reassurance, where agreed.
- Companions provide companionship only. They do not provide personal care, nursing or medical care, or medication support.
1Who our companions are
LivWell is an introductory agency. We find, vet and match independent, self-employed companions, and introduce them to older adults and their families. Companions are not carers.
Every companion is identity checked, interviewed and background checked before we introduce them to a family.
Companionship is about the person, not a task list. Your loved one decides how their time is spent, and a good match is built around their interests, their personality and their home.
2Ways to spend time together
These are the ways companions most often spend time with the people they visit. No two visits look the same. Your loved one chooses, and the companion follows their lead.
Social & Conversation
Coffee chats, shared meals, and meaningful conversation
- An unhurried cup of tea and a chat about the day, the news or old times.
- Sharing a meal at the table instead of eating alone.
- Sitting alongside your loved one for a video call with family and friends.
Arts & Creativity
Painting, crafts, and creative projects together
- Painting, drawing and colouring at the kitchen table.
- Knitting, sewing, card-making and other crafts, old favourites or something new.
- Taking up a hobby again, at a comfortable pace.
Gardening & Nature
Time outdoors, tending plants, and enjoying nature
- Watering, potting and pottering in the garden or on the balcony.
- Sitting out in the garden or a local park on a sunny day.
- Walks through green spaces to enjoy the changing seasons.
Movement & Getting Out
Walks, gentle exercise, and getting out of the house
- Short walks around the block or to a favourite spot, at your loved one's pace.
- Keeping up gentle stretches or exercises your loved one already does.
- A change of scenery and some fresh air for people who rarely leave the house.
Mental Stimulation & Games
Puzzles, trivia, card games, and reading
- Jigsaws, crosswords, word games and trivia.
- Cards, dominoes, chess and board games.
- Reading aloud, or talking over the newspaper or a favourite book.
Entertainment
Movies, music, concerts, and cultural outings
- Watching a favourite film or old TV series together.
- Listening to the music your loved one grew up with, and singing along.
- Trips to the cinema, a concert, the theatre or a local show, where your loved one is able.
Food & Cooking
Cooking, baking, and trying new recipes together
- Baking a favourite family recipe, with your loved one doing as much as they like.
- Cooking something together and sharing the finished meal.
- Trying a new recipe, or visiting a market or a café for something different.
Errands That Feel Like Outings
Shopping, pharmacy runs, and everyday errands made social
- Going to the shops, the market or the post office together.
- Collecting a prescription or picking up everyday items from the pharmacy.
- Turning a to-do list into time out of the house, with a chat and a coffee on the way. Section 3 has more detail.
Day Trips & Outings
Scenic drives, museums, and local adventures
- Museums, galleries, historic houses and gardens.
- A scenic drive, a trip to the coast or a walk by the river, where the family has asked for driving. Section 3 explains how driving works.
- Lunch out at a favourite café or pub.
Meaningful & Personal
Preserving memories, family stories, and traditions
- Looking through photo albums and talking about the people in them.
- Recording life stories, family history and favourite recipes for the family to keep.
- Keeping up family traditions, and marking birthdays and seasonal celebrations.
Animals & Pets
Time with pets, dog walks, and animal-loving outings
- Keeping company with a much-loved pet at home.
- Walking a dog together, at your loved one's pace.
- Visits to a garden centre, a farm, an animal sanctuary or a pet-friendly café.
Community & Social Groups
Clubs, classes, volunteering, and community events
- Going along to a club, class, faith group or community centre.
- Volunteering together, or supporting a cause your loved one cares about.
- Local events, coffee mornings and fairs, and keeping in touch with old friends.
3Errands and appointments
Practical outings are some of the most useful time a companion spends with your loved one. A companion keeps them company, so a necessary trip becomes something to enjoy and not a chore to get through.
Shopping and everyday errands
- The supermarket, local shops, the market or a garden centre.
- Collecting a prescription or picking up items from the pharmacy.
- The post office, posting letters and returning library books.
Your loved one pays for their own shopping. Companions never handle a client's bank cards, PINs or online banking.
Hair, beauty and personal appointments
A trip to the hairdresser, barber, nail bar or beauty salon is often a highlight of the week. A companion can go along, keep your loved one company while they wait, and stop for a coffee afterwards.
Doctor, dentist, optician and hospital appointments
A companion can go along for company and reassurance: travelling there and back, and sitting with your loved one in the waiting room.
A companion is there for company only. They do not give medical advice, make medical decisions, speak for your loved one on medical matters, or give or manage medication. Your family stays in charge of any decisions and any follow-up.
Getting there
Companions can walk, use public transport or take a taxi with your loved one. If you would like the companion to drive, tell us at your consultation. Companions only drive a client if the family has asked, and only if they hold a valid UK driving licence.
4Overnight Companionship (Sleeping Night)
What it is
A sleeping-night service where a companion stays overnight in your loved one's home, offering reassurance and company through the night. This is a non-medical, non-personal-care service. The companion is on hand if your loved one wakes, but does not provide hands-on care, medication support, or clinical monitoring.
What the companion does
Stays overnight in the home, provides company and reassurance, is available if your loved one wakes, and helps settle them back down through conversation.
What it does not include
Hands-on or personal care, medication support, clinical monitoring or waking-night supervision.
Overnight hours and rate are agreed directly between you and your companion.
5What companions do not do
LivWell is an introductory agency, not a care agency. We want you to know exactly where the line is.
- Personal care, such as washing, bathing, dressing or help with the toilet.
- Nursing or medical care, clinical monitoring, or waking-night supervision.
- Giving, prompting or managing medication.
- Handling bank cards, PINs, online banking or passwords.
- Witnessing or signing wills, powers of attorney or other legal or financial documents.
If your loved one needs this kind of help, a companion can still spend time with them alongside it. If you are ever worried about someone's safety or wellbeing, please read our Safeguarding Policy or contact us.
6Arranging a companion
It starts with a free consultation. Tell us about your loved one: what they enjoy, how they like to spend their days, their home, any pets, and whether they would like help with driving. We use this to find a companion whose personality and interests fit.
Before visits begin, you meet your companion, by video call or in person. After that, you and your companion agree the days, hours and rate directly with each other, and your family arranges the visits.
You can read the full steps in How It Works.
7Talk to us
The best way to find out whether a companion is right for your loved one is to tell us about them. A consultation is free.