The service is coordinated by an organiser, but depends on volunteers who feel they can commit some time in the evenings on a regular basis to befriend and aid an elderly person with their bed-time routine.
Some elderly people who live alone find the effort of getting to bed too much and rely on family or nursing services. This may mean they have to be in bed at an early hour, or it may mean a constant strain on even the most caring of relatives.
The Bedtime Service aims to relieve relatives and allow the elderly person to retire at a more appropriate hour.