First vaccinated, but not first deconfined. The “Way of reunion” that Brigitte Bourguignon, Minister Delegate in charge of autonomy, claims to want to open, since March 13, is strewn with pitfalls. While the vast majority of residents in residential facilities for dependent elderly people (Ehpad) are vaccinated – even if Public Health France has not updated the statistics since April 18 after recognizing calculation errors -, the government is facing the wrath of many families. They denounce the large gap between the encouragement of the executive to open the doors and the cautious reflexes of the establishments.
To make room for criticism from users, the Ministry of Health has published a new protocol for nursing homes, which will apply on May 19. The document “Now makes the freedom to come and go the rule and restrictive measures the exception”, explained Mme Bourguignon, Wednesday May 12. The document asks that “Each school management pays close attention to the individual rights and freedoms of the people supported”. “Visits must therefore be guaranteed (…). Management is developing proportionate epidemic management measures after consultation with residents, families and professionals. “
The document aims to put an end to “Abusive situations”, according to Mme Bourguignon. “We can no longer hear that visitors are not authorized in the room, although it is planned. We can no longer hear that going out is prohibited, while the freedom to come and go is for all citizens ”, she hammered at the microphone of RTL, May 12. His cabinet believes, however, that “Only 10% of nursing homes” out of 7,000 in total persist in maintaining overly strict rules.
“No one takes responsibility”
But, on the ground, the resentment of the families is deep: nearly fifteen collectives, most of which have been set up in recent weeks, denounce the “Ehpad-prisons” and the ” abuse of power “ directors. These associations have found an echo and a relay with the Defender of Rights, Claire Hédon, whose report published on May 4 highlights the accentuation since the crisis of “Infringements of the rights and freedoms of residents, more particularly their right to maintain family ties, their freedom to come and go and respect for their consent”.
You have 68.16% of this article to read. The rest is for subscribers only.