The executive promised on Friday the creation of 6,000 new “respite places” in suitable structures to which caregivers can entrust a dependent relative, for one or more days.
The government wants “take better care of those who take care of others”. A new national strategy for caregivers was presented on Friday, October 6, by the Minister of Solidarity, Aurore Bergé, and the Minister for People with Disabilities, Fadila Khattabi. France has 9.3 million people declaring “provide regular help” to an elderly, disabled or disabling illness loved one, according to official figures published in February. Among them, 500,000 minors look after one of their parents.
This plan for the period 2023-2027 aims to “simplify the journey for caregivers, which does not live up to what our country owes to families”, summarizes Aurore Bergé. Becoming a caregiver is “a very heavy load, both physical and mental”, she emphasizes. In a context of an aging population and the development of home care, the stakes are high. The government is already being criticized for a lack of ambition. This strategy is “a pile of small measures”, according to Hélène Rossinot, a doctor specializing in the subject. Here are the main provisions of the new Act for caregivers plan.
More respite places to “take a breath” 15 days a year
This was one of Emmanuel Macron’s campaign promises in 2022: to allow caregivers “to take at least two weeks a year to breathe”, by being replaced by home help or by temporarily entrusting their loved one to a specialized establishment. To achieve this, the government is announcing the creation of 6,00 additional respite places, “especially places day care and temporary care places for the elderly and disabled”. The opening days of children’s establishments must also be extended to provide reception “during weekends and holidays”.
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The executive is more timid in terms of replacement in the place where the loved one being helped lives. This device, highly anticipated and still underdeveloped, will “the object of territorial structuring” and a “reinforcement”, without concrete details at this stage. Supply is currently hampered by“significant recruitment difficulties” in the home care and help sector, as noted a report from the General Inspectorate of Social Affairs (PDF)end of 2022. Igas further emphasized that “access to respite solutions is not the first request from caregivers, who insist firstly on the importance of appropriate nursing and medico-social support for people helped”.
A departmental one-stop shop for caregivers
To get caregivers out of “obstacle course” current, Aurore Bergé promises “a single point of contact” who will be responsible, in each department, for informing and supporting the relatives of dependent people. This future “departmental public service of autonomy”being launched since this summer by the Ministry of Solidarity, will rely in particular on the 285 existing respite platforms, already responsible for guiding and offering services to caregivers. “We will cover all departments with a respite platform by 2027”promises the executive, while only five departments were still without it at the end of 2022, according to Igas.
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More broadly, the government intends to inform the entire population, via an unprecedented communication campaign on caregivers, as well as on the systems and rights to which they are entitled. One of the challenges is to “better identify caregivers”, for example by mobilizing health and medico-social professionals, to then support them properly. A scouting of young people during defense and citizenship day is also announced, as well as actions to identify “fragile or very fragile aging caregivers”.
Greater consideration of the words of caregivers
Due to their central role, the millions of French people who support dependent people develop a “expertise” in care and support. This must be more “recognized”, estimates the government. To simplify their daily lives, the Ministry of Solidarity wants to allow them to access their loved one’s “My health space” account with a dedicated identifier. On a professional level, thanks to the skills acquired as a caregiver, access to validation of acquired experience (VAE) will be facilitated, “with particular attention to people who have given up their jobs”. Decrees to this effect must be “soon to be published”.
The government also intends “promote exchanges between caregivers, in particular through helplines”improve access to psychological support and develop family mediation “to prevent and relieve caregivers in stressful situations”. A training effort is also announced for those who wish “better understand the situation of their loved one and the actions to help them in their daily life”.
Measures for students and helping employees
The 2023-2027 national strategy finally includes a component aimed at reducing interruptions in educational or professional careers. Since the start of the 2023 school year, access to scholarships has been improved for student carers, who benefit from four additional charge points in the calculation of their rights. “There must no longer be young people who give up studying, or move away to study, for lack of solutions”, says Aurore Bergé. The arrangements must be facilitated and “actions will be organized to raise awareness among academic stakeholders”.
In the professional world, the new plan aims to “securing caregiver leave”, which allows you to take time off work to care for a dependent person while receiving compensation close to the minimum wage. To encourage the use of this system, which got off to a sluggish start, the government intends to put in place “rechargeable rights”, in order to be able to benefit from this allowance several times if you help several of your loved ones during your career. In the public service, the use of adapted schedules will be “encouraged” for caregivers who wish it.