5 ways befriending services can make a difference

The quality of our friendships impacts our health, happiness and even our longevity. Befriending services are a great way to meet new people and help those who are isolated, less active or lonely. Here’s how befriending services can benefit you or a loved one. 

1. Befriending services turn loneliness into togetherness

No one deserves to feel lonely, yet sadly many people struggle with isolation and lack of meaningful social contact at times. Befriending services are a handy way to put you or your loved one in touch with people to meet, chat with, share stories, and even enjoy activities together – from walking and gardening to grocery shopping and cultural days out. 

The benefits of friendship are plentiful. It can help prevent depression, boost your quality of life, and even help older adults stay living at home for longer. Learn more about the importance of companionship and overcoming loneliness. 

2. Befriending services can save you time

Finding and making friends can be tricky, especially once we’ve left school, university and the workplace. Befriending services bring a structure to the process, so you don’t have to strike up an awkward conversation in the supermarket queue!

The best befriending services give you access to a wide range of friendly, helpful people in your area, upping the inspiration factor and giving you a choice of people to connect with. On the companiions app, you can browse and connect with a wide range of companions in your local area. 

3. Befriending services can save you hassle

If you make an informal arrangement without using a befriending service, there’s a lot of responsibility to contend with. You’ll need to get in touch with the companion to discuss their availability and you’ll have to decide when and how you pay them. Leading befriending services take care of all the practicalities for you. You should expect to be able to see a companion’s latest availability at a glance, and pay safely and seamlessly, via an app. You can do exactly that with the companiions app. 

Befriending services save you effort in other even more important ways too. Want to keep up-to-date with your loved one’s appetite, for example? A trusted companion can let you know what they’ve been eating. Need to know how your loved one is feeling that day, but don’t want to offend with constant questions? The companion can update you during or after their visit. 

4. Befriending services can save you worry

Meeting new people can be fraught with worry and arranging friendship for a loved one can be even more stressful as, quite understandably, we tend to feel responsible for our friend or relative’s safety and wellbeing. When our loved ones are struggling with loneliness, we can fall into the trap of feeling guilty.

Befriending services bring peace of mind. On the companiions app, we put trust and safety first. All our companions are vetted, rated and reviewed, and DBS checks and references are available on request. You can also choose to ‘meet’ potential companions via our video chat before you arrange an in-person visit. It’s an ideal way to say hello, ask any important questions, and get a feel for whether it’s the right match for you and your loved one.

5. Befriending services can save you money

Professional care brings huge value to the lives of many people, whether they’re struggling with illness, managing a disability or seeking ways to remain living at home as they age. Often, though, we or our loved ones simply need a little company, companionship or friendly help around the home. In these instances, a befriending service may be a better option for you or your loved one.

Professional care can be expensive. On the companiions app, you’ll discover a range of companions with different experience levels and varying hourly rates, so you can select someone that’s right for you, being mindful of your needs and budget. 

Give companiions a go

Keen to tackle loneliness while saving time, hassle, stress and cash? Give the companiions app a go. Download it today and sign up.