Lauren Henney brightens up every day of Alice Simmons's life when she visits her.
The 17-year-old trainee home care assistant looks after Mrs Simmons, 94, from Forest Hill near Oxford, every day.
To highlight a recrutiment campaign, Mary Robertson, the director of Oxfordshire County Council's Social Services Department, joined her at the pensioner's home.
Lauren Henney with Alice SimmonsMiss Henney, the council's youngest trainee home care assistant, said: "I enjoy coming here and doing everything for her. I visit two or three times a day and Alice even gives me advice about boys.
"What I like about this job is being able to make such a difference to someone's life."
Mrs Robertson said there was a real shortage of younger people coming in, and suspected they did not realise how enjoyable the work could be.
Mrs Simmons said: "I really appreciate Lauren coming here. I don't know what I would do without her."
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