IPOH, Sept 8 — Retired teacher Marie Quah used to go to the Taiping Hospital for her medical appointments on her own.

But these days, the 84-year-old finds herself getting breathless while moving around the different departments of the hospital to seek treatment.

With her children living away from her, she had always been independent but now she definitely needed help.

That was when one of her daughters-in-law started looking for paid companions for her... and her acquaintanceship with Seniora Buddy Service began.

"Due to my health, I have to depend on a wheelchair to get around and drivers of hired vehicles are not keen on transporting passengers with wheelchairs.”

She describes the paid companion’s service as a lifesaver.

Seniora founder Chew Siew Mei said she got the idea to start the service during the Movement Control Order (MCO) where she helped to transport senior citizens for their Covid-19 vaccinations.

"The services of paid companions are very popular in other countries,” the trained pharmacist said.

With some 20 companions on their payroll, Chew said besides accompanying clients for their medical checks, Seniora’s buddies, currently available in Penang island, Taiping, Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, also take clients out for meals and grocery shopping.

"Most of my clients have children who do not stay with them or are busy due to work commitments. The children retain our services to take their parents around,” she said, adding that the charges are between RM35 and RM45 hourly, depending on location.

Paid companions offer freedom to clients

Mary Chee was initially against the idea of utilising the services of paid companions.

"I am a private person and I do not like the idea of strangers attending to me,” the 78-year-old from Taiping said.

But after being advised by her children to try the service first, Chee reluctantly agreed and now enjoys it.

Besides using it for her doctor’s appointment, Chee uses the service when she is out grocery shopping.

"Now I use their service at least twice every month,” the mother of two said, adding the service gives her freedom.

"I used to be miserable as I stayed cooped up at home with no friends but with the service of paid companions, I now get to go out with confidence.”

As Malaysia inches towards being an ageing nation, the need for paid companions increases

Teman Malaysia founder and CEO Nurul Ezzati Mohamed Nasir said besides giving freedom to senior citizens, the services of paid companions also give freedom to families.

"With paid companions, families need not retain the services of maids which can be a hassle and more costly.”

She added that having paid companions also gives senior citizens freedom as they need not be sent to homes for seniors.

Besides seniors, Nurul Ezzati said Teman Malaysia also offers services to mothers and women.

"We once had a woman client who dared not drive alone from Shah Alam to Kuala Lumpur and retained our services to accompany her.

"Our companions also help to look after children whose mothers may be tied up with other engagements like doctor’s appointments,” she said, adding that the charges start from RM27 per hour.

While most of the paid companions service providers are based in the Klang Valley, My Flex Health Group said their companions are ready to travel to other states in the peninsula if there is a demand for it.

Its operations manager Carol Anne Margaret Nicholas said their companions can be present whether daily or weekly to check on clients. Their charges start from RM25 per hour or RM6,500 a month.