First Visit Checklist
A practical checklist for families preparing for a companion's first visit to an older parent. Before the visit, prepare three or four subjects your parent enjoys talking about, one or two to steer around for now, arrival details such as parking, which door and whether there is a key safe, anything about the house a visitor should know, tea and biscuits somewhere obvious, a quiet room with the television off, and hearing aids in and glasses to hand.
What to share with the companion: the daily routine, how your parent prefers to be addressed, how they take their tea, mobility and confidence, hearing or sight needs, any memory changes, sensitive topics described briefly, what a good outcome looks like to you, and who to contact if something does not seem right. What to expect on the day: roughly an hour, no set agenda beyond getting to know each other, some initial awkwardness that usually passes by the second or third visit, and no personal or clinical care, since companions do not help with washing, dressing or medication. Afterwards: a short casual call rather than a debrief, one honest question about whether they would like the companion to come again, feedback to the coordinator, and booking the next visit into the same weekly slot.
A printable one page PDF checklist with tick boxes is available at https://aircarerscompanion.co.uk/first-visit-checklist.pdf. Related reading: a complete guide to preventing loneliness and the wellbeing planner. AirCarers Companion is a companionship platform, not a CQC registered agency. Call 07455 750006 or email lucie@aircarers.co.uk.