Two new laws for a long-term strategy: the government presented on Friday November 17 its plans to adapt society to the aging of the population. Announcements which, however, leave players in the sector divided.
The Minister of Solidarity Aurore Bergé promised that a programming law on old age would see the light of day, a project called for for a long time by professionals and parliamentarians. ” I heard “ asks them, she declared during a speech at the Ministry of Solidarity. “Yes, you are right: a law on programming for old age is necessary”.
This future law “will set a framework, objectives to be achieved by 2030 and financing arrangements” so that France can face the increase in the number of elderly people losing their autonomy, said the minister in a interview published in The cross Friday. The old age law, promised by the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron at the start of his first five-year term, has been postponed many times before finally being abandoned. Aurore Bergé is committed to making it a success.
“The promise of a programming law” will not allow “not to improve the quality of life of our seniors”deplored the association of directors of nursing homes and home services (AD-PA) in a press release. “What vulnerable elderly people, families and professionals are waiting for are additional resources”.
Adapt accommodation to stay there longer
The Minister of Solidarity also presented the government’s interministerial strategy on “age well”, a long-term vision to adapt society to an overall older population. In 2030, one in three French people will be over 60 years old. There will be more people over 65 than those under 15, for the first time. This strategy, which brings together numerous measures already announced, aims in particular to “take into account new needs”specifies the ministry.
The government wants to allow seniors to adapt their housing to stay there as long as possible, thanks to a bonus, known as “prime adapt”accessible to those over 70 from 2024. It also proposes to overhaul the system of home help services, and to exit “the logic of hourly pricing”. Hugues Vidor, general director of Adedom, a federation which represents home help services, welcomed on X (ex-Twitter) “a strong desire to move the lines”.
This will also make it easier for seniors to travel. The government plans in particular to finance the accessibility of small businesses via a fund and to strengthen the accessibility of stations. Jean-Christophe Amarantinis, president of Synerpa, which brings together private nursing homes, was delighted in a press release “promising announcements” : “The public authorities have finally taken stock of the aging population and the difficulties encountered by all players in the sector”.
Return to the assembly of a bill
On the other hand, the socialist deputy Jérôme Guedj deplored on A “imprecise catalog of existing measures for the most part, without new funding”. Likewise, Yann Lasnier, general delegate of the association of Little Brothers of the Poor, regretted that there was no ” nothing concrete “ among the measures presented. “The two million elderly people suffering from isolation in France deserve better! »he added.
This strategy for “age well” was presented a few days before parliamentarians’ examination of the bill “age well” of the presidential majority. The text, the first reading of which was interrupted in April by the parliamentary recess, returns to the National Assembly on Monday. It particularly concerns the social aspect.
It will make it possible to create a system to better report cases of mistreatment, or even a professional card for home help, supposed to “make their daily work easier”. It will also be an opportunity to enshrine in law the right to visit nursing homes, as recommended in a report submitted to the government. The inability to visit loved ones, or even say goodbye, during the Covid-19 crisis had created trauma for many families.