The aging of the population is a major demographic phenomenon affecting many countries, particularly in Europe. In France, this phenomenon has important consequences for public policies, particularly in the field of health and pensions. To adapt to this major challenge, the French executive has proposed several avenues aimed at meeting the needs of the elderly and ensuring their well-being. Last October, the government launched the National Refoundation Council (CNR) on the theme of aging well. This council delivered its conclusions on April 4.
The players in the sector warn of the lack of resources and the difficulty of recruiting, and highlight the problems in responding to requests. If the government has abandoned the idea of passing a law on old age, it is taking measures to free up the sector. In order to act in favor of the sectors, the national council for the refoundation of aging well brought together professionals and citizens for 6 months to reflect and take measures for home care structures.
The CNR study was delivered on April 4 and the field studied by the council is quite broad. Indeed, it includes the adaptation of housing, the attractiveness of professions, as well as citizenship and social ties. Some of the topics covered are highlighted, even before reading the report. Several points were discussed to advance and change things concerning the remarks of home help actors.
The government’s main proposal is the introduction of a new aid: MaPrimeAdapt’. This aid, which will arrive on January 1, 2024, will be used to finance housing adaptation work in order to cope with a loss of autonomy. The second proposal, or rather a second project, will be to improve the attractiveness of the profession. To achieve this objective, several solutions are envisaged, such as the possibility for home helpers to work in pairs in certain situations or to pool certain actions between different services.
Other measures could be taken and integrated into the bill of the deputies. The main point put forward by the citizens who participated in the council is the digitization of data. Given the age group of the population concerned, it is emphasized that physical contact must be maintained in order to carry out the procedures. The bill will be debated in April in the National Assembly. The discussions on the social security budget in the autumn should cover some of the measures discussed during the CNR.
