Their tablet is a bit like the new member of Francis and Céline’s family at Les Andelys. The couple, 81 and 85 years old respectively, received a tablet from the Eure departmental council last July. “In the morning, I look at the weather, the temperature in the morning, in the afternoon explains Francis, a past master in the use of the tablet. He then reviews the various articles offered by the review Notre Temps. With his stylus, he selects what interests him and then a female voice reads the article aloud. What Francis particularly appreciates is being able to send emails to relatives. No need to type in the addresses, they are already saved and no need to type in the text either, just dictate it.
It makes us spend an hour watching it all. I listen to music a little – Francis, 81 years old
The nonagenarian admits it, “it’s not hard to learn” and then he will show Celine, his wife, how it works because “for the moment, she has problems with her eyes, she is waiting to be well healed to have her glasses to use the tablet”. He doesn’t worry, “my wife learns very quickly” he recounts. “My husband takes care of it, it’s good for him too” Celine bids, “than sitting around doing nothing, especially in winter, the days are sometimes long “. The couple also makes calls with their children via WhatsApp, as with their son who works at Defense.
The tablet marketed by the La Poste group has sold 80,000 copies in France. “In the Eure, it is acclaimed by our seniors for its easy and fun nature” says Raphaël Tamponnet, director of development and partnerships in the Silver Economy services department of La Poste Group. For tablets, the seniors selected do not have to pay anything, “c” is the great strength of the system that has been set up in the Eure, it is fully supported financially “.
The Department acts in prevention to both immediately increase the quality of life of users but also to hope for future savings on the financing of the cost of dependency – Raphaël Tamponnet – Groupe La Poste
And there was light
This Ardoiz tablet is part of a home care pack which also includes a device found on the bedside table near the marriage bed: “It’s a lamp when my husband gets up, it lights up by itself and we have a little thing to put out“explains Céline.
As soon as he puts his feet on the ground, it lights up – Céline, 85 years old
– Laurent Philippot
The device replaces the flashlight that Francis used to use when he got up at night and may reduce the risk of falling.
A network of supportive neighbors
The home care pack is one of the three actions carried out by the Department of Eure to break the isolation of the elderly. On November 22, it will be supplemented by a website, a network of united neighbors, “a platform that will be accessible from mobiles and tablets that will make it possible to make the connection between people who have needs for help and people who want to offer their help” details Sophie Hivert, director of Hacktiv.
The goal is to help fill out administrative papers, change a light bulb or clear an alley – Sophie Hivert
The Department of Eure has also signed the Mona Lisa Charter,“an action on breaking the isolation of the elderly with actions to train volunteers” details Isabelle Jollivet-Perez, director of solidarity in autonomy at the Department of Eure.
The Department engaged in a European program
200 elderly people were selected from five municipalities (Les Andelys, Breteuil, Grand-Bourgtheroulde, Mesnil-en-Ouche and Vernon) to experiment with these different actions. Actions implemented thanks to European funding. The Department of Eure has just joined the European Interreg Connected Communities program, it is even the only community in France for this program.
“We take care of actions aimed at the elderly to fight against isolation and the English are more concerned with the research and impact measurement part” explains Anne Terlez, vice-president of the Eure departmental council in charge of health, the fight against poverty, the elderly and disability. These European funds (75% of the 600,000 euros of the program), “often serve as a primer”. This Interreg France Channel / Manche England 2014-2020 program will be one of the very last in the Eure since the United Kingdom was the only border country of the Eure and has left the European Union.