Hospital companionship in Berlin — when lying there alone is not enough

Who needs hospital companionship

People with dementia:

In hospital, people with dementia often decompensate badly — unfamiliar surroundings, missing routines, constant stimulation. A familiar companion calms things, gives a sense of safety and knows the routines from home.

Patients with post-operative confusion (at risk of delirium):

Older people in particular often develop delirium in the first 24-72 hours after major surgery. An alert, familiar companion markedly reduces how often this happens.

Dying patients:

On many wards 1:1 presence is not possible, though it is wanted. We take that on.

Patients facing a language barrier:

If someone speaks only limited German, a familiar companion with the right languages is often worth their weight in gold — translating for the ward round, mediating between patient and team.

Frightened patients:

Especially during longer stays, after serious diagnoses, or where there are frequent investigations.

How it is organised

Agreeing it with the ward:

Before the first shift we contact the ward’s nursing management. As a rule, written consent is obtained from the patient or their authorised representative.

Shifts:

Typical patterns: 8-hour shifts (day, late, night), 12-hour shifts (day/night), or targeted periods (for example the first 48 hours after surgery, or the last 24-72 hours before a transfer).

What our staff do (and what they do not)

What we do not do: wound care, giving medication, invasive nursing procedures — that is the ward nursing team’s work.

• Alert presence, observing how the person is.
• Calming agitation, reorienting where there is confusion.
• Help with meals, offering drinks.
• Accompanying trips to the toilet (where mobility allows).
• Telling the ward nursing team what is needed.
• Keeping the family informed.
• For patients with dementia: activity within what is possible.

What it costs

Hospital companionship by the hour is costed according to qualification, time of day and day of the week. Continuous companionship over several days (for example the first 48 hours after surgery, or the last days before a transfer) is drawn together into a single total. Supplements under § 3b EStG (25 % at night, 50 % on Sundays and public holidays) are shown transparently.

In the initial consultation we establish the setting and the duration and give you a concrete figure for the companionship you are planning.

Questions of insurance

With some private health insurers the cost of a companion is reimbursable in full or in part — we are happy to provide an invoice suitable for submission. With statutory health insurance there is generally no entitlement.

Frequently asked questions

• Do Berlin hospitals allow external bedside companions?

  Yes, generally with the agreement of the ward’s nursing management. We take care of registering it.
• How quickly can you get to a ward?

  Reliably with 24 hours’ notice or more. For A&E cases, often on the same day.
• Can I book companionship before planned surgery?

  Highly advisable — we can then be ready from the moment your relative first wakes up.
• Does the health insurer pay?

  With statutory funds, normally not. With some private insurers, partly reimbursable.