Join our team

Do the most meaningful work of your week.

We're looking for warm, reliable people who genuinely love spending time with older adults. No medical experience needed. Just patience, warmth, and the desire to make someone's week.

$15–$20

per hour

Your

own schedule

Zero

medical tasks

☕

Tea, walks & real conversation

Your visits look like what a good friend does — not a checklist.

📅

Completely flexible hours

You tell us when you're available. We build around your life.

📈

Pay that grows as you do

Clear progression from $15 to $20/hr plus reliability bonuses.

🤝

You're never on your own

We accompany you on your first visit and are always a call away.

Background-checked & insured agency

Paid orientation & full training

Supervised first visit — always

Bi-weekly pay, direct deposit

Work within your own neighbourhood

How to join

Six steps from application to first visit.

1

Apply online

10-minute form. We respond within 48 hrs.

2

Phone screen

20-min warm conversation.

3

Interview

45-min in-person + reference checks.

4

Background check

We guide you through the process.

5

Orientation

Paid 3-hour session. Everything you need.

6

First visit

We go with you. You're never alone.

The role

What you'll actually do on a visit.

You visit one to four elderly clients at home on a regular schedule — typically two to three visits per week, two to three hours each. Every visit looks a little different, but it generally looks like this:

☕

Sit down together for a proper cup of tea and a real, unhurried conversation

🚶

Go for a short walk at your client's pace — around the block, to the park, wherever feels right

🃏

Play cribbage, Scrabble, chess, or whatever your client loves — and let them beat you

🛒

Go on grocery runs and casual errands together — making it social, not just functional

🏥

Accompany your client to a doctor's appointment so they're not sitting in a waiting room alone

📺

Watch TV together, talk about the news, swap stories from your week

Not included: Personal care (bathing, dressing, medication), household cleaning, financial tasks, or anything medical. If a client requests any of these, you contact Hearthside. Full stop.

Pay structure

Transparent, growing, and fair.

Tier	Rate	When
Starter	$15.00/hr	Months 0–3
Established	$17.00/hr	After 3 months
Senior	$18.50/hr	After 6 months
Lead	$20.00/hr	After 12 months
Reliability bonus	+$50/month	Zero missed visits in a month
Referral bonus	+$100	Per companion you refer who is hired
Holiday supplement	1.25×	On Canadian statutory holidays

Requirements

What we need from you.

Genuine warmth with older adults — this is a character thing, not a skill requirement

Reliability — your clients build real emotional dependency on you showing up

Clean criminal record — vulnerable sector check required (we guide you through this)

First aid & CPR certification, or willingness to obtain before first visit

Reliable transport to travel to client homes in your area

At least 6 consistent hours per week on a predictable schedule

No healthcare experience required. Our best companions include retired teachers, parents returning to work, nursing students, and people who simply love older adults. What we can't teach is warmth. Everything else we can work with.

What our companions say.

"I was a nurse for 30 years and this is the first job where I actually have time to be a person with someone. Harold told me about his career last Tuesday and I laughed so much my sides hurt. I haven't done that at work in years."

Sarah M.

Companion, 14 months · Calgary NW

"I was between jobs and a friend suggested this. I thought it would be temporary. That was two years ago. My clients feel like extended family. I can't imagine not doing this now."

James K.

Companion, 22 months · Edmonton South

"I'm in my third year of social work at university. I work two mornings a week with Hearthside and honestly it's better preparation for my career than anything else I'm doing. Plus I actually love it."

Maya L.

Companion, 8 months · Calgary SE

Common questions before applying.

Do I need a healthcare background?

No. We have companions who are retired teachers, parents returning to work, students in human services, and people with no formal care background at all. The quality we cannot train is genuine warmth and patience with older adults. Everything else we cover in orientation.

What is a vulnerable sector check and how do I get one?

A vulnerable sector criminal record check is a specific background check required in Canada for anyone working with vulnerable populations (children, elderly people, people with disabilities). We guide every applicant through how and where to obtain this in their area. It typically takes 1–3 weeks and costs $20–$30 at most police services.

How are visits assigned to me?

After your orientation, we match you carefully to clients based on your personality, availability, location, and interests. You are introduced to each client before any regular visits begin, and we are present at the first visit. We don't assign you to clients you haven't met.

What happens if a client becomes unwell during a visit?

Your protocol is clear and covered in orientation: if there is any concern about immediate safety, call 911 first, then call Hearthside immediately. Every companion is first aid and CPR certified before their first visit. You will never be sent into a situation without knowing exactly what to do if something goes wrong.

Can I work for Hearthside alongside another job?

Yes. Many of our companions work part-time alongside study, another job, or family commitments. We work around your life. The minimum we ask for is approximately 6 consistent, predictable hours per week — enough to take on at least one client reliably.

How quickly will I hear back after applying?

We respond to every application within 48 hours — usually much sooner. If you apply and don't hear from us within two business days, please call us directly at (780) 809-1197. We do not let applications go unanswered.