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Elderly sitting services
Whether you’re a primary caregiver in need of a break or you’re concerned about your elderly loved one living alone, elderly sitting services can help.
Knowing your elderly loved one is living alone can be unsettling. You may be worried that they’re struggling, feeling lonely, or might have an accident whilst they’re alone. You may also be concerned they won’t communicate these feelings to you.
It can also be difficult if you’re living with elderly parents as a primary caregiver and need a break from your daily caregiving responsibilities. You may be concerned about leaving a loved one unattended – but it’s vitally important that you take some time for yourself to support your mental wellbeing.
Elderly sitting services can provide reassurance in these circumstances. You can explore Respite Care and Companion Care services or continue reading this guide to discover more about elderly sitting services options near you.
What is an elderly sitting service?
An elderly sitting service provides care or support to older people, often as a type of Respite Care when primary caregivers take a well earned break. Home sitting services for the elderly can be arranged as a short term solution or as longer term care services, such as Overnight Care.
A day sitter for elderly people can provide companionship, Personal Care or help with domestic tasks like household cleaning and shopping assistance. This could include anything from accompanying them to a special occasion, such as wedding, or taking part in activities such as trips to the library or simply getting out for some fresh air.
If you’re caring for an elderly parent, senior sitting services provide a much needed opportunity for caregivers to have some time away from their responsibilities and enjoy time to themselves. There are also many benefits for the person needing care to spend time with someone different and enjoy a variety of social interactions.
What are the duties of senior sitters?
Generally, a sitter for elderly people is there to keep your loved one company while family or regular caregivers are unavailable. They can also provide company while a senior is in hospital or at home recovering from surgery or an accident.
Some general duties of senior sitters are:
What are the benefits of home sitting services for the elderly?
There are many benefits to having Elderly Care sitters for an ageing loved one who needs some company. Not only can they help prevent feelings of loneliness and isolation, but they also provide peace of mind and reassurance that they’re being cared for.
What’s included in elderly sitting services?
There are many different kinds of private sitting services for elderly people available, because everyone’s needs are different. Some of these services are paid and some are free.
Some unpaid home sitting services for the elderly are available to provide companionship if the person is experiencing loneliness or isolation. These schemes are usually undertaken by trained volunteers who will visit the person’s home to spend time with them.
In these instances, a volunteer will not usually provide care services such as Personal Care or administering medication. Instead, they might provide valuable social engagement in the form of friendly conversations over a cup of tea, bonding over hobbies or other elderly activities, or assisting them out and about in the local community.
Other tasks carried out by a volunteer could include shopping assistance or basic household tasks like meal preparation, tidying, laundry or any other necessary errands.
Other senior sitting services provided by care professionals offer a more comprehensive service. Our sitting service for the elderly, for example, provides Respite Care so a caregiver can take a break even if the person they care for needs a lot of support. Our services include paid befriending, as well as Personal Care, Mobility Care or After Hospital Care following a discharge from hospital.
To arrange an elderly sitting service, an assessment needs to be carried out to understand the person’s needs – this is to ensure the safety and comfort of the person being cared for.
Why would an older person need to use an elderly sitting service?
What types of elderly sitting services are there available?
Befriending schemes offer companionship and support to someone experiencing feelings of loneliness. They can help to reduce feelings of isolation by providing valuable social interaction and support.
A befriending service could be in the form of a telephone call from a volunteer so an elderly loved one has the opportunity to chat and prevent feelings of loneliness. This is especially beneficial if someone is unable to leave home often but still needs social interaction.
Another form of befriending could be face to face. A volunteer will regularly visit an older person at home to relieve a primary caregiver from their duties, or simply to provide companionship and a chance to socialise. It’s an opportunity to accompany them out and about, such as a trip to a café or garden centre, or engage in activities together such as shared hobbies and interests.
Companion Care is when a carer visits you at home to provide valuable social interaction. This enables an elderly loved one to continue enjoying the things they love most at home, whilst reducing feelings of loneliness and isolation.
As people get older, elderly loneliness becomes a possibility for many. Life can be more challenging without someone to talk to regularly, especially if they’re used to being surrounded by others. Sometimes, a friendly face can make a world of difference and positively boost someone’s mood.
Companion Care means someone will visit your loved one at their home for social interaction to prevent feelings of loneliness. They can enjoy a chat over a cup of tea, accompany your loved one out for a social trip, take part in elderly activities, or simply enjoy a walk.
If your loved one is recovering from a recent surgery, illness or injury then home sitting services for the elderly are an ideal way to support them with their recovery journey.
Recovering from any change to physical wellbeing can be a particularly vulnerable time. Usual activities can be more difficult to manage alone and continuing normal routines can be difficult.
The support of senior sitters will help to aid the recovery of your loved one, supporting them to regain as much independence as possible. This could be by helping with daily tasks to maintain the home or assisting with personal hygiene during a period of reduced mobility.
Senior sitters can even provide Convalescent Care if your loved one is recovering in hospital. They can visit your loved one in hospital if you’re unable to and provide much needed companionship and emotional support. Recovery can be an overwhelming time, especially if it leads to reduced mobility and the inability to continue with usual activities. Having a companion to talk to and support you can boost self esteem and reduce the risk of infections or relapses.
Whatever your circumstances, we provide quality Convalescent Care at Home that’s delivered by professionally trained Carers. We personalise care depending on specific needs; whether that’s regular, visiting care at agreed times or continuous Live-in Care to provide round the clock reassurance.
Day care centres are a popular way for elderly people to enjoy time with other people of similar ages, maintain their independence and improve their quality of life.
They offer practical assistance as well as a chance to socialise with others, with the additional support of trained staff and volunteers. They usually offer a wide range of elderly activities, including singing and dancing, arts and crafts, or day trips. Some might even include a hot meal and refreshments throughout the day.
Live-in Care is a more comprehensive form of elderly sitting services. A Live-in Carer will move in with your loved one to provide continuous, dedicated support to them at home. This provides valuable reassurance to your loved one, knowing help is available at any time of the day or night.
Live-in Care is a great alternative to residential care and enables a person to remain at home in a safe, secure and familiar environment. Moving into a care home can be disruptive but Live-in Care means your loved one maintains their independence, staying in control of routines and decisions about daily life.
A night sitting service for the elderly is when a carer stays in your loved one’s home during the night and provides valuable support until the morning. If your loved one struggles with anxiety during the early hours or needs assistance getting up and ready for the day, night sitting for elderly people is a valuable addition to their routine.
There are two forms of night sitting services for the elderly. These are sleeping night support and waking night support. A sleeping night support sitter is designed to promote confidence and independence for those who don’t require intense support throughout the night but would like the reassurance of knowing someone is nearby. The sitter will sleep in your loved one’s home overnight but will be on hand to help when needed.
A waking night sitter, on the other hand, is for those who require more attention during the night. They stay awake throughout the night to be alert at all times and assist with any support needs.
Respite Care is when a professional carer takes over to cover the duties of a regular caregiver.
Everyone needs a break to prevent feelings of exhaustion but for many primary caregivers this can sometimes feel impossible if someone relies on their help. In this case, Respite Care is designed to enable caregivers to enjoy a regular break from responsibilities with peace of mind that someone is there to take their place.
It’s essential to enjoy some downtime, with a chance to rest and relax, away from daily life and responsibilities. Respite Care is an ideal way to ensure your loved one’s needs are continuously looked after by a professional, giving you time to switch off and recharge.
Most Home Care providers offer Respite Care services to slot into your usual routine and work alongside you to ensure the person you’re caring for continues to receive the support they need.
Respite Care can be a short term regular arrangement that fits into your daily life. It can be challenging to hand over the responsibility of caring for someone you love to a strange, so at Alina Homecare we work with you to make the transition as smooth as possible. We’ll take the time to understand the needs of the person needing care and provide a personalised, dedicated service.
Who can benefit from home sitting services for the elderly?
Elderly sitting services are designed to benefit an older person experiencing feelings of loneliness or isolation. They’ll benefit from companionship of someone visiting them at home and helping them to live more comfortably.
Over half of all people aged 75 and over live alone – it’s estimated that 20% of the older population is mildly lonely and an additional 8-10% is intensely lonely.1 That’s why support services such as a sitter for elderly people are so important. They help reduce loneliness and make a positive difference.
Some private sitter services for elderly people can be long term arrangements to allow senior citizens to remain independent at home for longer. However, they can also be short term arrangements in the form of Respite Care to cover the duties of a primary caregiver who may need regular time off. Another short term arrangement is Convalescent Care, where more support might be needed at home following surgery, an illness or injury.
Caring for an older person can be a rewarding but challenging job. As the UK population grows older, more people are taking on the role of caregiver for loved ones. It’s estimated there are 5 million unpaid carers in England and Wales.2 Being an unpaid carer can have an impact on overall health, finances and employment. As a result, it’s vitally important for primary caregivers to take a well deserved break to look after themselves and prevent feelings of fatigue and burnout.
Utilising elderly sitting services can relieve stress on the family of those receiving care and benefit relationships by helping to avoid frustrations and exhaustion. It can also enable families to relax and enjoy peace of mind, knowing loved ones are still receiving valuable care and companionship in the primary caregiver’s absence.
How to arrange home sitting services for the elderly?
Elderly sitting services can be arranged in many ways. Organisations such as Age UK offer great advice and information on befriending services, day care centres or arranging professional Home Care services.
Senior sitting services can also be arranged through your local council. In some instances, you may need to complete a social care assessment to determine the needs of your loved one and what assistance they require.
Alternatively, another option is to approach the private social care sector where you can choose your own Home Care provider. Alina Homecare can help with services like Respite Care, Companion Care, Overnight Care and many more.
If you’d like to learn more about our Elderly Care services, find your local Alina Homecare Team.
1. Campaign to End Loneliness, “Checklist: Statistics”, Reviewed 14 December 2023
2. Carers UK, “Key facts and figures about caring”, Reviewed 14 December 2023
3. National Library of Medicine, “Peer Companionship for Mental Health of Older Adults in Primary Care”, Reviewed 14 December 2023