Hearth pairs trained companions with seniors who've gone quiet — not aides, not errand runners, but someone who sits down and listens.
1 in 3
adults over 65
"experience chronic loneliness — with health consequences comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day."
— U.S. Surgeon General, 2023 Advisory on Loneliness
46%
of seniors eat at least one meal alone every day
72 hrs
average time before a fall is discovered when a senior lives alone
14M+
older Americans live alone — a number growing every year
"This isn't a care problem. It's a presence problem. The medicine we need most doesn't come in a bottle."
— Dr. Margaret Hollis, Geriatric Psychiatry, UCSF
Every companion is background-checked, trained, and matched carefully. But what makes them extraordinary is simpler than that.
58 · Former elementary school teacher, Tucson
Loves doing: Doing the crossword over coffee and reading Agatha Christie aloud
"Helen waited by the window on Thursdays. She told me once I was the only person who asked about her garden."
44 · Retired firefighter, Portland
Loves doing: Watching old westerns and talking through the plots over dinner
"Walter hadn't laughed like that in years. We watched The Good, the Bad and the Ugly three times."
63 · Master gardener and former librarian, Asheville
Loves doing: Tending raised beds and identifying heirloom seed varieties together
"Ruth's tomatoes came back this year. She says it's because she finally had someone to plant them with."
51 · Community college history professor, Baton Rouge
Loves doing: Working 1,000-piece puzzles and telling stories about the Great Migration
"Earl knows every jazz musician who ever played on Bourbon Street. I'm just there to listen and sort the edge pieces."
55 · Hospice social worker, turned companion, Denver
Loves doing: Making soup from scratch and talking about what mattered most
"Eleanor said nobody had asked her what she was proud of in 20 years. We spent two hours on that question."
67 · Retired jazz musician and music teacher, New Orleans
Loves doing: Playing cards, telling music stories, and humming together over dinner
"Vera told me she used to sing. So we sang. Every Tuesday. Her daughter called in tears after the first week."
All 47 Hearth companions have passed an enhanced background check, 40-hour training, and three reference calls. See our vetting process →
40-hour training program
Active listening, dementia awareness, grief support, boundary-setting
Enhanced background check
National criminal, sex offender registry, elder abuse registry
Three character references
We call every reference and ask specific questions about care and reliability
Supervised first three visits
A Hearth coordinator attends or reviews notes from initial visits
Ongoing monthly check-ins
Companions meet with our team to share observations and get support
A 20-minute call with our matching team. We learn about your parent, their interests, what a good evening looks like for them.
We don't just match by availability. We match by personality, shared interests, and the specific kind of company your parent needs.
The first visit is short — coffee, a walk, no pressure. Your parent sets the pace. Most ask when they're coming back.
Families tell us the calls change. Their parent has something to talk about. Something happened that week worth saying.
Background Check Transparency
We use a third-party enhanced background check provider. Families can request a summary of any companion's screening results before the first visit. No companion has ever failed to pass.
A 45-minute Zoom call where we walk through the program, answer every question, and help you figure out if Hearth is right for your family. No sales pitch. Just conversation.
Voicemail — received January 14, 2026
Lisa T. · Denver, CO · daughter of Frances, 81
"Hi, this is Lisa. I just — I wanted to say thank you. Mom called me on Friday and she was different. Like, she had something to tell me. She talked about Sandra for twenty minutes. About what they made for dinner, about a story Sandra told her. I haven't heard her like that in two years. I don't know how to say it except — Mom talks about Tuesdays now. She didn't used to talk about anything."
Lisa T.
Daughter, calling from Denver about her mother in Albuquerque
"Dad stopped asking me to come visit so I'd stop feeling guilty. Now he just tells me what he and Marcus talked about."
Kevin O., son, Seattle
"I didn't know how to help my wife feel less alone when I was right there. Diane does something I couldn't figure out how to do."
Gerald M., husband, Asheville
Free Guide
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A 45-minute Zoom call where we walk through the program, answer every question, and help you figure out if Hearth is right for your family. No sales pitch. Just conversation.