what do the hours of “conviviality” offered to the elderly represent?

“Come on, let’s get up!“Chrystèle Hubert, carer, takes care of Annie, 90, five days a week in Eaubonne, in Val d’Oise.”come with me“, she said to the nonagenarian, “we are going for a walk ? I don’t remember that“, replies Annie, who has Alzheimer’s disease. Chrystèle practices what are called hours of “conviviality”. The government plans to finance from 2024 two hours of this type for all beneficiaries of the allowance. personalized autonomy, who live at home.

A campaign promise by Emmanuel Macron, which will be debated by deputies on Thursday, October 20 and which should make it possible to recreate the link with isolated elderly people. This is what Chrystèle Hubert does, maintaining activities with Annie to continue to stimulate her. “We go out every day to take a little tour of the block, or we go to see the florist from time to time“, she says. Together, they “chatter, laugh“, “we comment on the passage of children“. Another activity: commenting on the series “Little house on the prairie” that Annie “really like“.”We also put on music, we have a playlist and Annie sings. These are little moments that are very nice“, confides Chrystèle.

Shared moments appreciated by both Chrystèle and Annie. “We exchange a few things with Chrystèle, we chat“, says the old lady. She is in bad spirits, “more than sometimes“, she “Fed up“, then these moments him “cheer up“.

To From January 1, 2024, the government wants all beneficiaries of the personalized autonomy allowance who still live at home to be able to benefit from these moments. Today, Annie’s children pay for this service. “Insofar as we say that we want the elderly to be able to stay at home, it is part of care and life“, explains Florence, Annie’s daughter.

“It’s not just washing, cooking, the rest is also very important.”

This system is also rewarding for Chrystèle Hubert, a qualified carer, who does not “don’t consider housekeeper“.”Me, going to do only hours of cleaning at a person’s house, it’s not my job“, she advances.

The question of the usefulness of these hours of conviviality does not arise according to her. “I have a patient who does not have children, I go there once for two hours a week. All the rest of the time, she is alone. So sometimes I give her a call and she’s in tears on the phone because someone’s interested in her.“, says Chrystèle. What must be settled now is funding. On this issue, the government is planning 900 million euros over four years. This sum would be taken from part of the tax revenue of the Generalized Social Contribution (CSG).