Arranging company for a parent from a distance
How to set up a weekly companion for a parent in Greater Manchester from another city, from the first call to the note after every visit.
You can arrange a weekly companion for a parent in Greater Manchester entirely from where you live. You ring or send the form, we ring you back the same day and talk to your parent as well, the meet-and-greet happens at their home with you on a video call if you cannot be there, and from then on you get a short written note after every visit and a phone call from us each month. Your parent chooses the day, meets the companion first and can change their mind; you stay in the picture without being in the room.
The worry, named
The hardest part of being a long way from an ageing parent is not the distance. It is the not knowing. They say they are fine on the phone; they would say that whatever the truth was. You get the odd clue from a neighbour or a missed appointment, and you fill in the rest.
A weekly companion changes that in two ways. Your parent has a fixed point in the week that is theirs, with someone who takes them out and notices how they are. And you get a few lines afterwards, from the person who was actually in the room.
Step by step, from a distance
- Get in touch. Ring us or send the form with your parent's postcode and a little about them. A person replies within one working hour, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.
- The first call. Twenty minutes, the same day, about your parent rather than about tasks: what they enjoy, what their week looks like, what has changed. We will also ask to speak to your parent, with your agreement, so that the visits start as theirs.
- The meet-and-greet. The companion we have in mind comes to your parent's home with us, usually within five working days. If you cannot be there, you join by video, or a neighbour or another relative sits in. It is free, and nothing is decided until your parent says yes.
- The companion plan. One page, written with your parent: interests, routines, what a good visit looks like, who to call and in what order. You get a copy.
- The visits. The same companion, the same day and time, every week. A note to you after each one. A phone call from us each month. One week's notice if it ever needs to stop.
What the note looks like
It is a few lines from a person about an afternoon, not a form. What they did, how your parent seemed, anything worth mentioning: the tea running low, the stair light flickering, the walk managed without a stop for the first time in weeks. It takes thirty seconds to read and it takes away the guessing.
The note goes to whichever family member your parent nominates, by agreement with them. It is their visit and their information, and they can see what is written.
Keeping your parent in charge
Arrangements made from a distance can slide into being done to someone. A few habits stop that.
- Talk to your parent before you ring us, not after. Our guide on what to say when a parent insists they do not need help covers the conversation.
- Let them choose the day, the time and what the first visit will be.
- Make sure they meet the companion before anything is booked, and know that they can ask for someone else.
- Agree with them what goes in the note and who gets it.
- Ask them how it is going, as well as reading the note. The two together are the full picture.
Practical questions from another city
Paying. Invoices are weekly, in arrears, by direct debit or card, and can come to you. There is no deposit and no minimum term.
Keys and money. If the companion needs a key or a key-safe code it is agreed in writing first. Companions bring back receipts for any shopping, never hold a bank card, and never know a PIN.
Appointments. A companion can take your parent to the GP, the dentist or the hospital, wait, and bring them home, and the note will tell you what was said if your parent is happy for it to.
When needs change. If we think your parent is starting to need more than companionship, we tell you early, and we help you find a registered care provider for the personal care while the companion keeps visiting.
Emergencies. If something is seriously wrong during a visit the companion calls 999 and stays until help arrives; for anything less urgent they ring NHS 111 or the GP, and then you.
If you would like to talk it through first, ring us. The first conversation is about your parent, and it costs nothing.
Common questions
Do I need to be there for the meet-and-greet?
No. It works best in person, but you can join by video, or your parent can meet the companion with a neighbour or another relative present. Your parent needs to be there; you do not.
How will I know how each visit went?
A short written note from the companion after every visit, sent to whichever family member your parent nominates. Anything urgent is a phone call, not a note.
Who is my contact if something changes?
One named person at Whitegreen with a direct line, plus a monthly phone call to talk about how it is going.
Can I pay from another city?
Yes. Invoices are weekly, in arrears, by direct debit or card, and can go to you rather than to your parent.
Sources
Every figure above comes from one of these. If one has moved or changed, tell us and we will correct the guide.
Start with a conversation
Tell us who the visits are for and what they enjoy. We will ring you back the same day, and arrange a free meet-and-greet at home with the companion we have in mind. Nothing is charged until you have met them and said yes.