The carers being a helping hand to those in need
Lizzie Scott says she kept seeing older and disabled people attending hospital appointments alone. So she came up with a solution.
After witnessing the struggles of elderly people and those with disabilities forced to navigate hospital appointments alone, social entrepreneur Lizzie Scott has come up with a solution.
CaringStay Companion Travel has more than 80 "companions" nationwide, who can accompany people to their appointments and take them home afterwards, staying as long as they are needed.
Scott, who started the service two years ago, said it continued to evolve, led by demand.
The company offers a variety of services including walking the dog.
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"My mother would put up people all the time, who had come to town for surgery or a specialist appointment, and I thought, 'Where do they go if mum can't help them?'.
"She said she had no idea, they would probably have to stay in a motel with no-one to help them.
"My neighbour who needed a knee operation told me she rented a motel room and flew up a friend from Canterbury to help her."
So CaringStay was founded to offer a supportive place for individuals leaving hospital who were not quite ready to return home.
Its "hosts" - usually retired people with a spare room - provide support and non-medical care to people discharged from hospital.
In response to requests for in-home support, some hosts will stay in other people's homes.
"People call us up or email us and say 'We're going away and we need someone to check on Grandma twice a week', or could someone offer respite in our home for a week?"
The hosts of CaringStay to You can relieve family carers, and support those recovering from surgery.
They can also help with everyday activities like walking the dog, running errands, child care, or simply offering companionship.
Companion Travel in motion
Scott said the new Companion Travel service came out of requests from health insurers and retirement village operators - and personal experience.
The director of one large health insurer told her that some customers were having to cancel specialist appointments "because they just can't get to the hospital by themselves".
Medical insurance only covers patients once they are inside a medical facility - not transport, unless they need to be transferred to another hospital.
Scott herself was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) at 26.
"Through my own experience of healthcare, I kept seeing older and disabled people attending hospital appointments alone.
"Transport can often be arranged, but support usually is not. For many people this is stressful and overwhelming.
"Even familiar hospitals can be difficult to navigate. Long walking distances, hard and shiny floors, and hard-to-manage facilities can create real anxiety."
Companion Travel is for people who need support while travelling, including for medical care.
It pairs them with a companion for support at appointments, help them navigate the day, wait with them, and ensure they get home safely.
Some companions can also stay overnight, if needed, to offer practical support and reassurance.
"We have an arrangement with Blue Bubble Taxis country-wide and others as necessary to offer transport, and 80 companions nation-wide, including Wanaka, Auckland, Wellington, Kāpiti Coast, Wairarapa, Christchurch."
Companion Travel costs $60 an hour, not including the taxi fee, while an overnight stay (12 hours) is $500.
Tailored quotes are offered for long-distance travel.
Scott said while the service was not within everyone's budget, it was meeting an important need.
"The thing is, everything in health is underfunded and there has to be a different way. Because if you look at transport from hospital for instance, there's nothing."
