It is because they are caregivers that Marina Al Rubee and Jean Ruch have made it their mission to write The Book: Caregivers for Dummies, published by First, for the 11 million carers in France. A caregiver is a person (spouse, child, parent, friend, neighbour) who supports an elderly, ill, disabled or loss of autonomy person.
In 2021, caregivers represent more than 11 million people. Most often left to their own devices, these people become exhausted on the job with an acute feeling of loneliness and lack of recognition by society as a whole.
This book aims to recognize the silent work of these millions of people, to provide them with information that is often difficult to find on the aid, possible support and good reflexes to acquire in order to survive.
The new edition of family carers is up to date with the latest legislative provisions and new existing devices. This book is written by Jean Ruch, social entrepreneur and family caregiver, with the help of journalist Marina Al Rubaee, specialized in the social and medico-social sector, both caregivers.
As far as the partners are concerned, the National Handicap Coordination Committee (CCAH) has taken an interest in the question of caregivers in France, a real social phenomenon. To raise public awareness of this issue, the CCAH has devoted several books to employee carers or to the place of young carers. In the world of work, the theme of caregivers is more recent.
How to take into account the constraints of the complex life of some caregivers? There are solutions suitable for companies, and the CCAH helps them to put them in place. Finally, with Caregivers for Dummies, the CCAH offers an overview of existing solutions that will be useful to everyone on a daily basis.
Since 2015, the APRIL Foundation has published an annual barometer of carers with BVA, to assess the perception of French people on the role of carers. In 2021, it was found that 1 in 5 French people declared that they provided voluntary help to one or more loved ones, in a situation of dependency. That 66% of carers are active and that one in two carers feels alone and helpless in their role.
To give them a voice, the APRIL Foundation has launched a web series and testimonial platform “Paroles d’Aidants” with portraits.