Someone to spend time with, when it matters
Long days on their own are hard. Our companions come for a chat, a cup of tea, a walk and a hand with the housework. Good company that makes the day better, and gives you peace of mind when you cannot be there yourself.
9.7 out of 10
From 125 reviews on homecare.co.uk, the independent care review site families trust.
Registered and rated Good
Registered with the Care Quality Commission and inspected by the care regulator, held to national standards.
DBS checked and directly employed
Every carer is DBS checked and directly employed by us, not introduced or sent by an agency. The person in your parent's home is our responsibility, not someone else's.
Caring since 2016
Nearly a decade looking after Berkshire families, with no minimum contract.
Visits from fifteen minutes
A visit can be as short as fifteen minutes or as long as a full afternoon. You only pay for the time you need.
Help with the cost
Companionship can be as little as an hour a week. Attendance Allowance and direct payments can often be used towards it.
"Living alone I look forward to my frequent calls looking after me. I have two regular carers and look upon them as friends. Nothing is too much trouble for them to do."
R M (Client), homecare.co.uk review
Company is care, too
Sometimes the most valuable thing a carer can do is simply be there. A regular visitor who shares a cup of tea, listens, and goes at the right pace. It makes the day brighter, it keeps the house on top of things, and it gives family carers reliable time to rest. This is a genuinely nice thing, and we have never understood why most care websites make it sound like a sad one.
Someone to spend time with
A proper conversation, a shared joke, a familiar face who comes back week after week.
Meals and a cup of tea
Making and sharing a meal, the way your mum or dad likes it, not a tray left on the side.
A lift to the shops
A companion for the garden centre, the hairdresser, the supermarket, or a walk in the fresh air.
Hobbies and interests
Time on the things they enjoy. The crossword, the racing, a box of photographs, the garden.
Good company
Someone who knows their name, their story and their routine, and looks forward to seeing them.
Peace of mind for you
Knowing someone reliable has been in, had a chat, and made sure everything is alright.
What an hour together actually looks like
It is hard to picture companionship from a list of categories, so here is what really happens. Every person is different, and the best visits are the ones built around what your mum or dad enjoys. These are all real things our companions do, on ordinary days, across Berkshire.
A walk to the postbox and back the long way, with a proper natter on the way.
A game of cards, or the crossword done together with a brew on the go.
Going through a box of old photographs and hearing the stories behind them.
A trip to the garden centre for a coffee and a wander round the plants.
A lift to the hairdresser, and a cup of tea waiting when it is done.
Taking the dog out, because the dog has missed the walks too.
Watching the racing together, with opinions offered freely on both sides.
A run to the supermarket for the bits they like, and help putting it away.
Sitting in the garden on a good day, with nothing in particular to do.
A visit to the cemetery to see a husband or wife, with company for the journey.
Getting to church on a Sunday, because some things matter more than others.
Or simply a cup of tea and an hour of proper conversation, and nothing else at all.
None of it is set in advance. The first visit is about finding out what they like, what they used to do, and what would make the time together worth looking forward to. Then we build the visits around that.
A hand with the housework
A companion is not only company. They also keep on top of the small things around the house, the ones that quietly become impossible and then become a worry. People often call this home help, and it is very much part of what a companion does.
It is not a deep clean. It is the everyday housework that keeps a home feeling like a home, done by someone your mum or dad already knows and trusts. Whether it is help around the house with a bit of hoovering and the washing on, or domestic help with the post and the bins, it is all part of the same visit.
If you are looking for home help in Reading or the towns around it, this is often the service people actually need, even when they start by asking about companionship.
- A bit of hoovering and a tidy round
- Putting the washing on and hanging it out
- Changing the bed and flipping the pillows
- Sorting the post and dealing with the pile
- A quick run to the supermarket for the bits they like
- Wiping down the kitchen and taking the bins out
- Keeping on top of the small things that quietly become impossible
When you do not live nearby
If you are an hour or more away and cannot get there every week, this is often the service that lets you breathe again.
We know the guilt that comes with not being close enough to pop in. We will not labour it. What we can do is make sure someone reliable has been in, had a proper chat, made a meal, and kept the house on top of things.
After each visit you get a short update, so you know how your mum or dad was, what they did, and whether anything needs your attention. You always have one named person to ring, and you will not be passed around a call centre.
For a lot of families, that is the thing they want most. Not a grand gesture, just the knowledge that someone has been in, and that they will hear about it the same day. It is company for an elderly parent when you cannot be the one providing it yourself.
The easiest place to start
Companionship is very often the first thing families arrange, and it is a gentle way to get used to having someone in the house. There is no pressure, no assessment that feels clinical, and no commitment to anything bigger.
If more help is needed later on, whether that is help with washing and dressing, or support through the night, it will be a familiar face who steps in rather than a stranger. The trust is already there.
And if a weekly visit turns out to be exactly right, and nothing more is ever needed, that is perfectly fine too. There is no obligation to move on to anything else.
Sitting with someone so you can go out
If you are the one who is there most of the time, a few hours off is not a luxury. It is how you keep going.
A carer can sit with your mum or dad for an afternoon so you can go to a hospital appointment, do the shopping, see a friend, or simply have a few hours where you are not on call. For a husband or wife who has not been out on their own in months, that afternoon matters more than most people realise.
This is what people often call a sitting service, and it is one of the most common reasons families ring us. Having someone to sit with your parent means you can go to your own appointment, or just have a break, without worrying.
Asking for this does not mean you have given up, or that you do not care. It means you are looking after yourself so you can keep looking after them. We will always say that plainly, because it is true.
If what you really need is a proper night's sleep, we can cover the nights too. See our night care page for what overnight support looks like.
It works better when we know them
Before the first visit, we take the time to build a picture of who your mum or dad is. Not just what they need help with, but who they are. Their work, their music, their routines, their people, the things that make them laugh.
That is the difference between an hour that helps and an hour that does not. A carer who knows your dad used to be a engineer will talk to him differently. A carer who knows your mum loves the racing will plan the visit around it.
We do our best to send the same small team around them, so the faces become familiar and the conversations build on themselves week after week. We tell you straight if we ever cannot.
Their story
Work, family, the life they have lived.
Their people
Family, friends, the names that matter.
Their routine
When they get up, how they like their tea.
Their joys
Music, hobbies, the garden, the dog.
When companionship is not enough on its own
Companionship is a wonderful thing, but it is not the answer to everything. We would rather tell you that plainly than pretend otherwise.
If your mum or dad needs help with washing and dressing, the toilet, or making sure the tablets get taken, that is home care, and we do that too. If memory is becoming a worry, our dementia care page explains how we support people living with dementia at home.
If you are not sure whether what you are seeing needs more than company, our guide on the signs a parent needs help walks through the things families usually notice first. And if the nights are the hardest part, our night care page explains how overnight support works.
Often the two run alongside each other. A companion might come on a Tuesday for company and the housework, and a carer might come each morning for help getting up and washed. We will help you work out what is right, without pushing you towards more than you need.
Home help and company across Berkshire
We provide home help in Reading, and the same service across Wokingham, Bracknell and Newbury, and the villages in between. A lot of what a companion does is about getting out and about, so knowing the local parks, the high streets and the garden centres matters. If you are not sure whether we cover your village, just ring us.
Caversham, Tilehurst, Woodley, Earley, Theale, Pangbourne, Shinfield, Burghfield, Sonning
Local garden centres, Caversham parks, Reading town centre shops, local churches and community hubs
Winnersh, Twyford, Wargrave, Finchampstead
Garden centres near Wokingham, Dinton Pastures, Wokingham high street, local community groups
Crowthorne, Sandhurst, Binfield, Warfield
Garden centres near Bracknell, Lily Hill Park, Bracknell high street, local church groups
Thatcham, Hungerford, Kintbury
Garden centres near Newbury, Victoria Park, Newbury high street, local churches
Is Mum getting enough company?
A gentle guide for families who live too far away. Written to be genuinely useful whether or not you ever become a client. Download it, keep it, share it.
What is inside
Seven short chapters, plain English, no jargon.
The quiet signs someone is spending too much time alone
What it actually looks like in real life, not a checklist of symptoms. The television left on all day for company, the same meal three nights running, the house going quiet, the calls that get longer. Written so you recognise your own situation rather than feeling judged.
Why it matters for health, not just for mood
A plain explanation of how long days alone affect appetite, sleep, strength and memory, drawn from what families and carers actually see. Not a lecture, just the honest reason this is worth taking seriously before it becomes a crisis.
How to raise it without causing a row
Practical ways to start the conversation that do not land as an accusation. What tends to work, what nearly always backfires, and how to keep it about them and their wishes rather than about your worry.
What to do when a parent insists they are fine
The most common wall families hit. How to read what fine actually means, when to push and when to step back, and why starting with something that is not called care is usually the way through it.
Adding contact that is not care
Practical, low-pressure ways to bring more people into the week before any paid help is involved. Local Berkshire lunch clubs, befriending schemes, libraries, men's sheds and community groups. [Keith to confirm current local groups, venues, meeting days and contact details before publishing, as these change often.]
When a paid companion genuinely helps, and when it is the wrong answer
An honest look at when a regular companion is the right thing and when something else is. Including when the real need is personal care, when the house itself is the problem, and when the answer is simply visiting more often yourself.
Making the most of your own visits when you can only get there once a month
How to make a monthly visit count, what to check while you are there without turning it into an inspection, and how to stay close in the weeks in between without it becoming a burden on either of you.
This guide is general information to help you think things through and start useful conversations. It is not medical advice and it is not a substitute for talking to your GP or a qualified professional about your own situation.
Get the guide
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If you would rather just talk to someone, call us on 0118 391 3542.
Frequently asked questions
What is a sitting service?
A sitting service is when a carer comes to spend time with your mum or dad for a few hours, usually so you can go out, go to work, or simply have a break. They make a cup of tea, have a chat, keep an eye on things, and lend a hand with the small stuff. It is company and a bit of help, rather than personal care, and it is one of the most common things families ask for.
Is companionship the same as home care?
Not quite. Companionship is about company and a hand with the everyday things, for someone who is mostly well but would benefit from someone to spend time with. Home care includes help with washing, dressing, the toilet and making sure the tablets get taken. The two often run alongside each other, and a lot of families start with companionship and add more as things change.
How much does an hour of company cost?
It depends on how long each visit is and how often the carer comes. Visiting care starts from £18.18 per visit. The only way to know properly is a free chat at home, because the right price depends on what your mum or dad would actually like, not a price list. We will always be straight with you about the cost before anything starts, and there is no minimum contract.
Can the carer take my mum out, and can they drive her?
Yes. Our companions can give your mum a lift to the hairdresser, the garden centre for a coffee, the supermarket, a hospital appointment, or just a walk in the fresh air. Some of our carers drive and some use your mum's car with her permission, or we can arrange a taxi for the journey if that suits better. Getting out and about matters for wellbeing, and having someone with her makes it safe and enjoyable rather than a worry.
Will it be the same person every time?
We do our best to send the same small team, because an hour with someone who knows them is worth far more than an hour with someone who does not. We will tell you straight if we ever cannot, rather than quietly sending someone new. We take the time to find out about their life, their work, their music and their people, so the team we send knows them well.
Can they help with the shopping and a bit of housework too?
Yes, and most do. A bit of hoovering, putting the washing on, changing the bed, sorting the post, a quick run to the supermarket. These are the small things that quietly become impossible, and having someone keep on top of them makes a real difference to how the house feels. People often call this home help, and it is very much part of what a companion does.
My dad says he does not need anyone, what do we do?
This is the most common worry we hear, and it is completely normal. A lot of dads, and mums, say it because they do not want to feel like they are being looked after. The trick is not to call it care. Frame it as a hand with the shopping, or someone to have a cup of tea with and go to the garden centre, and start with just an hour a week. Let the relationship do the rest. Most people who said no at first look forward to their visit once they know the person. There is no pressure to keep going if it is genuinely not right, but very few families stop once it has started.
Can we start with just one hour a week?
Yes, absolutely. A single hour a week is a perfectly normal way to start, and a lot of families do exactly that. It is a gentle way to get used to having someone in the house, without committing to anything bigger. If a weekly visit turns out to be exactly right and nothing more is ever needed, that is perfectly fine too. There is no obligation to move on to anything else.
What if we need more help later on?
If more help is needed later, whether that is help with washing and dressing, or support through the night, it will be a familiar face who steps in rather than a stranger. The trust is already there. A lot of families start with companionship and add more as things change, and we will help you work out what is right without pushing you towards more than you need.
Are your carers DBS checked and employed by you?
Yes, every carer is DBS checked and directly employed by us, not introduced or sent by an agency. The person in your parent's home is our responsibility, not someone else's. We recruit, train and manage our own carers, so you are dealing with one company that knows them and stands behind them, not a middleman.
How do I know they have actually been?
After every visit you get a short update from the carer, so you know how your mum or dad was, what they did together, and whether anything needs your attention. You always have one named person to ring, and you will not be passed around a call centre. For a lot of families who live an hour or more away, that update is the whole reason they arrange it, because it is the knowledge that someone reliable has been in, and that they will hear about it the same day.
Do you cover my village?
We cover Reading, Wokingham, Bracknell and Newbury and the villages around them, including Caversham, Tilehurst, Woodley, Winnersh, Twyford, Crowthorne, Thatcham and many more. If you are not sure, give us a ring and we will tell you straight away whether we can help.
Would your mum or dad enjoy a bit of company?
Let's talk about what a visit could look like. A regular friendly face can make all the difference to a long day, and to your peace of mind.
