How Introductions Work — and Who Sees Your Information

Reaching out about your parent means trusting someone with something tender. So it's fair to want to know, before you send anything, exactly how an introduction works here — what a companion sees, what stays private, and what happens next. Here is the whole thing, plainly.

The short version: you're always in control, your parent's name and contact details are never shared until you both say yes, and if no one accepts, you hear from a real person rather than getting silence.

You choose — we don't place anyone

An introduction starts with you. You either choose a specific companion whose profile feels right, or you take the 2-minute assessment and we point you toward companions who serve your area. Either way, nothing happens automatically and no one is "assigned" to you. We make introductions; we are not an agency, and we never place a worker in your parent's home. The relationship, from the first hello onward, is yours.

That distinction matters for a practical reason too: it's why the site is free for families. Companions set their own rates and you pay them directly. We're simply the introduction.

The companion you chose gets the first chance

When you send a request to a particular companion, that companion gets it first — with a 24-hour window before anyone else is involved. We do this on purpose. You picked that person for a reason, and they deserve the first opportunity to say yes before the request goes any wider.

Here's the part families are often surprised by, in a good way: the request that companion receives contains only the care need and the city — for example, "afternoon company and light conversation, twice a week, in Etobicoke." It does not contain your name, your parent's name, your phone number, or your email. At this stage, a companion is deciding whether they can help with a need in an area, not looking at your family's personal details.

How a companion accepts

If the companion can help, they accept through a verified, single-use link sent only to them. It works once, for that one request, and then it's done. This keeps the process secure and means a request can't be picked up by anyone it wasn't sent to.

The moment they accept is the moment things change — and only then.

One introduction email, with Aimee on it

Acceptance triggers a single email. Not a stream of notifications, not a dashboard of strangers — one email that introduces you and the companion to each other, with Aimee (who runs Choose a Companion) included on it. That email is the first time contact details are exchanged, and it happens because you started the request and the companion said yes.

From there, the two of you talk directly. You arrange a first visit, discuss what your parent enjoys, agree on times and the companion's rate. Aimee stays reachable if you'd like a hand, but she isn't in the middle of your arrangement. If you'd like a sense of what comes next, our short guide Before the first visit walks through welcoming a companion into your parent's home.

What if no one accepts?

Sometimes a companion is full, away, or simply not able to take someone new right now. If the companion you chose doesn't accept within their window, the request can gently widen to others who serve the area.

And if no one accepts within 48 hours, you don't just sit wondering. You hear from us — from a real person — with honest next steps. That might mean other companions to consider, a note that a particular area is thin right now, or the option to join a short waitlist so we can tell you the moment coverage opens up. What you won't get is silence.

Why it's built this way

Every choice here comes back to two things: your control, and your privacy. You decide who to approach. Companions decide based on the need, not your identity. Personal details are exchanged only at the single moment you've both agreed to connect. And a person — not just a system — makes sure you're never left hanging.

None of this replaces your own judgement. You still meet the companion, decide for yourself, and can stop at any point. It simply means the path from "I think Mom could use some company" to "they're having tea together on Thursdays" is one you can walk with your eyes open.

A few honest FAQs

Who sees my email? Only the companion who accepts your request, and Aimee — and only after acceptance. Before that, a companion sees the care need and city, nothing that identifies you.

What if I change my mind? You can. Nothing is committed until you arrange a visit directly with the companion, and even then it's your family's decision. There's no fee to families and no obligation to proceed.

What if the companion doesn't reply? After 48 hours with no acceptance, we reach out to you with real next steps — other companions, honest information about coverage in your area, or a waitlist option. You'll always hear back from a person.

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Ready when you are. You can browse companions who serve your area or, if you'd rather talk it through first, book a free call with Aimee.