One hundred million euros: this is the amount of the emergency fund announced by the Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne, on July 26, to provide “one-off help” accommodation establishments for dependent elderly people (Ehpad) facing cash flow difficulties. An envelope, also intended for home help services in deficit, which is not up to the needs, according to professionals. “Not only is the sum insufficient, but it should not exempt the government from initiating structural reforms”warns Marc Bourquin, strategy advisor to the French Hospital Federation (FHF).
The office of Aurore Bergé, the new Minister for Solidarity and Families, affirms to the World that 553 million euros are already provided for in the State budget to compensate for the effects, in 2022 and 2023, of inflation through the establishment of a “energy shield” and compensate for salary increases. The sum is intended for medico-social establishments which welcome the elderly but also disabled. A useful help to the sector here again. But will it allow them to really breathe?
“The State has not failed, because there have been envelopes to plug the holes, but there has been no overall reflection on the economic model”, also deplores Laure de La Bretèche, president of the Ehpad Arpavie group and deputy director of social policies at the Caisse des dépôts et consignations. However, for many establishments – some models more than others – the situation is alarming, at a time when all nursing homes are faced with rising energy, food and rising wage costs. . Expenses are exploding and revenues are at half mast due to under-occupancy of beds.
If the lucrative private groups see their financial margin decrease, the most weakened are the establishments whose status is public or associative. That is nearly 80% of the park of 7,500 nursing homes in France. For these non-commercial retirement homes, the equation has become almost insoluble. The rates paid by residents are lower than in the for-profit private sector. The median price in public nursing homes is 66 euros per day compared to 78 euros in private commercial establishments, where the monthly cost of the stay is on average 1,000 euros higher.
“Goodwill” of the departmental councils
The lucrative nursing homes have obtained permission from Bercy to increase their rates by 5.14% in 2023. Public and associative retirement homes are subject to “at will” county councils to increase theirs. In return for this price control, the departments provide support for residents with low incomes.
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