Antikleia is a help. She apprises him of what has been happening in his absence.
The king, Antiphates, and the queen eat one of Odysseus' envoys (the are a hindrance), and the crew barely escapes as the other Laistrygonians shoot boulders at the retreating ship.
Polites is Odysseus' greatest friend. I'll have to say he was a "help" because he was the one who convinced Oddysseus to leave Circe.
Persephone- Well....... I guess Odysseus had to get to speak with Teiresias in one way or another. He had to go by way of Persephone.