CompanheiroSénior — Senior Companion & Errand Services Marketplace for Portugal
Portugal has 2.5 million people aged 65+, and over 1 million of them live alone. Studies show 91% of elderly Portuguese in primary care report some level of loneliness, with a third experiencing severe loneliness. Meanwhile, Portugal has only 0.8 long-term care workers per 100 elderly people — far b
CompanheiroSénior — Senior Companion & Errand Services Marketplace for Portugal
The Problem
Portugal has 2.5 million people aged 65+, and over 1 million of them live alone. Studies show 91% of elderly Portuguese in primary care report some level of loneliness, with a third experiencing severe loneliness. Meanwhile, Portugal has only 0.8 long-term care workers per 100 elderly people — far below the OECD average. The country would need 17,000+ additional care beds just to meet WHO 2025 targets.
Families face an impossible choice: expensive nursing homes with long waiting lists, or leaving elderly parents alone hoping nothing goes wrong. What many actually need isn't medical care — it's someone to check in, do the groceries, accompany to the pharmacy, have a conversation, take a walk. Basic human companionship and errand support.
In the UK, Elder.org built a massive marketplace for live-in care. In Spain, Cuideo raised millions connecting families with home carers. In France, GRANNY & CHARLY pairs seniors with young companions. In Portugal? A handful of informal arrangements and a few small English-language agencies serving expats in the Algarve.
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