Companion Care for Seniors in Southern Ohio

Companion care is non-medical support centered on presence, conversation, meaningful activity, routine, supervision, and help staying connected to everyday life. Depending on the care plan, it may also be combined with meals, homemaking, errands, reminders, personal care, dementia support, or respite.

No. A person may benefit even when they live with a spouse, adult child, or other relative. Family members may be working, sleeping after a night shift, managing children, completing errands, or carrying responsibilities that prevent them from providing continuous attention.

A visit may include conversation, listening, games, music, reading, walks, hobbies, simple household participation, meal companionship, cueing, routine supervision, appointment preparation, or other agreed non-medical activities. The visit should reflect the person’s interests, abilities, care needs, and care plan.

Companion care can provide regular human contact, shared activity, and a reason to engage with the day. It cannot guarantee that loneliness, depression, grief, or isolation will disappear. Persistent sadness, withdrawal, hopelessness, or safety concerns should be discussed with an appropriate medical or mental-health professional.

Yes. A familiar caregiver can support routines, use simple communication, offer reassurance, redirect without arguing, encourage meaningful activity, and provide supervision consistent with the care plan. Companion care does not replace medical evaluation, skilled nursing, or an emergency and wandering-safety plan.

Transportation and errands depend on the care plan, authorization, insurance, vehicle arrangements, client needs, route, caregiver eligibility, and SILK policy. Families should not assume transportation is included until the exact arrangement is approved.

Yes, when those tasks are included in the agreed or authorized plan. Companion care is often combined with meal preparation, dishes, laundry, light homemaking, hydration encouragement, and routine household support.

Non-medical reminder support may be possible when it is included in the care plan and consistent with SILK policy. A caregiver does not independently prescribe, change, select, or alter medications. Questions about medication administration or clinical management should be directed to the appropriate licensed professional.

Evening, weekend, overnight, and extended schedules may be available when the exact address, requested hours, care needs, payment source, authorization, travel, caregiver availability, and caregiver fit align. SILK does not promise that every requested schedule can be staffed.

SILK serves eligible Medicaid/PASSPORT clients in Ross, Jackson, Gallia, Pike, and Vinton Counties. PASSPORT authorizes defined waiver services rather than a generic companionship benefit. Conversation, supervision, meals, errands, or household support may occur within an authorized personal care or homemaker plan when appropriate. The administering agency and case manager determine the authorized services and hours.

Yes. SILK provides private-pay care in its core counties and evaluates requests in additional Southern Ohio communities. Current rates, minimums, travel, household conditions, requested tasks, schedule, and availability should be confirmed for the actual plan.

Medicare generally does not pay for ongoing non-medical companionship, supervision, custodial care, or long-term help at home when those are the only needs. Medicare may cover qualifying skilled home-health or hospice services under separate rules. Families should verify their exact coverage with Medicare or their plan.

Call with the exact service address, what the person enjoys, what has changed, how much time they spend alone, mobility or memory concerns, the requested days and hours, household conditions, payment source, and desired timing. Susan or Ehren will discuss fit, authorization, availability, and the next responsible step.