Are you wondering what a day in the life of a companion-housekeeper may look like? We have spoken to one of our candidates, Ana, to find out.

I have been a carer and companion for seven years now and I have been working with Guardian Carers for a little over a year. I find the job of being a carer, and implicitly companion, to be extremely rewarding. I wouldn’t see myself doing anything else.

I have entered the care space when I finished college, having previously volunteered in the community with various care homes and charities. Ever since I was a little girl, I had a close connection with people and I was brought up to be a kind person who helps the ones around.

Well into my teenage years, I found out my granddad was developing dementia. It was progressing slowly, but over the years we saw his condition get worse and worse. My family and I stepped in and were with him as much as we could. I used to go visit him after school, sit with him and chat, play the piano, listen to music and anything else that I knew would bring him joy and a part of his old self back.

Experiencing this for my own further engrained in me the need to help others in similar situations. Knowing that I could make a difference and make someone’s life even a little better is a feeling I can’t compare with any other. I love waking up every day and going to work. Over the years, I’ve developed really close bonds with my clients. I believe that my job is more than just a job. It’s about creating relationships, if not even friendships.

Guardian Carers have asked me to talk about what a day in my life as a companion housekeeper looks like. Currently, I am employed by a lovely lady called Wendy in London. I have been with her for around 9 months now. I visit her 5 times a week, from Monday to Friday, as she usually spends time with her family during the weekend.

A typical day for me would start with walking to Wendy’s house, as it only takes me around 30 minutes to do so and the walk to her place is very pleasant. I stop to pick up some butter croissants for Wendy and I, as well as her favourite papers and magazines.

When I get to her home, Wendy is always happy to see me and it’s the same for me. We bonded quite quickly and we’ve established a close connection early on. We have things in common such as arts and crafts, culture, history and we are also big fans of reading the news every day.

This is how we always start the day. After I get to her place, I put the kettle on, brew some tea and then we go to the sitting room, catch up and share our newspapers over some fresh croissants from her favourite local bakery.

Wendy doesn’t have any care requirements at the moment. All she needs is companionship, as she lives on her own, having been recently widowed. I also help her with her diary, respond to emails, make calls and run errands for her. The upkeep of her home is also part of my duties. However, Wendy is still an active lady who does bits and bobs around the home and particularly enjoys gardening, which we often do together.

After our time together in the morning, I would usually clean up, tidy the kitchen and then move on to some administrative duties. She would check her emails and I will type them up for her or if she needs to make some calls, I would help her with that as well. If she needs me to run to the post office or to the bank, I would do this or sometimes we would go together. Every day is quite different.

After I take care of these tasks, I would either go and do the grocery shopping, depending on the day of the week or move on to some household tasks. This may include things like doing the laundry, folding the laundry, organising the wardrobes, hoovering and mopping the floors, dusting, loading the dishwasher, taking the bins out or anything else that needs to be done.

After the day’s chores are out of the way, I will prepare a balanced and nutritious lunch for Wendy and I. We will eat and enjoy a cup of coffee afterwards. I would tidy up and then we would usually head out for a walk together. We would usually head to the local park which is just down the road from her. Sometimes we will also visit some of her favourite shops or I would assist her with any errands she has to get done. We would also meet up with some of her friends for tea or supper, depending on the day.

The day ends when I walk Wendy home and make sure she is safe and has everything she needs. I would then walk myself home and update her family on Wendy’s well-being and what we have been doing.

I am very fortunate to have been placed with such a wonderful client as Wendy. Guardian Carers are really focused on matching clients and companions based on personality, which is something I appreciate. Out of all the clients I have had so far, I have to say that I have clicked the best with Wendy.

If you are a companion-housekeeper or a carer-housekeeper who is looking for their next opportunity, our specialist consultants are here to help you. They are experts at matching clients and candidates. You can make an enquiry here or simply call us on 0207 183 1395.