Dementia & Solitude: How Simple Companionship Can Make Home Life Easier
- saoirsesheridan
- 3 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Supporting a parent with dementia is emotionally heavy, especially when they’re spending long hours alone. Solitude can increase confusion, anxiety, and forgetfulness. But even small amounts of regular human connection can make daily life calmer and more reassuring.
This is the heart of what Elder Home Share provides:a friendly companion living in the home who offers company, presence, and gentle support.
How Solitude Impacts Dementia — and How Elder Home Share Helps
1. Confusion & Anxiety
Long stretches alone can leave an older person unsettled or unsure.
A companion helps by: Providing steady conversation, gentle reminders, and a sense of routine.
2. Faster Cognitive Decline
The brain needs social interaction. Without it, confusion can deepen.
Companionship helps by: Encouraging small but meaningful moments — shared meals, chats, a cup of tea — that help keep the mind engaged.
3. Long, Quiet Afternoons
These hours can be the hardest for someone living alone.
A home-share companion helps by :Simply being there, turning an empty house into a reassuring presence.
4. Evening Restlessness (Sundowning)
Dementia symptoms often worsen at dusk. Learn more: Alzheimer Society of Ireland — https://alzheimer.ie/
A companion helps by: Offering calm, reducing agitation, and providing gentle evening reassurance.
A Founder’s Perspective (Modest & Integrated)
Elder Home Share grew out of real experience. After several years home-sharing, our founder, Saoirse, saw first-hand how dementia impacts both the older person and their family.
One insight stood out:
A companion can ease emotional strain for everyone.
Because companions come into the home with a healthy emotional distance, they can stay patient and calm at times when family members may feel overwhelmed. This steadiness supports the older person and gives adult children much-needed breathing space.
Part of a Support Ecosystem
Elder Home Share works best as part of a simple, flexible circle of support. Many families combine:
A home-share companion for a live in presence
ALONE’s Befriending Service for a weekly friendly visit
Care.com for added affordable social support during the day time.
Family check-ins when possible
Together, these create a small but powerful ecosystem of connection and reassurance that helps an older person stay safely and happily in their own home. Extending time at home and pushing out the need for full time care.
The Heart of Home-Sharing
Most older adults tell us they don’t want fuss — just:
company
a chat
a sense of safety
someone nearby
a home that doesn’t feel empty
A home-share companion offers exactly that. It’s simple, human support — and it can make daily life gentler for your parent and less stressful for you. To learn more reach out to us today.
