This post is primarily for Dementia sufferers and carers living in France but could be interesting to those who have other long-term health problems requiring help or live elsewhere and would like to know what’s available here.
The below list is for the GERS department. I do not know if the organisations are the same throughout France but research will soon clarify this.
These days, acronyms are everywhere but, in most cases, strictly speaking, they should be termed ‘initialisms’. Meaning, fairly obviously, that the capitalised letters are the first letters of each word being represented. Acronyms or apronyms are initialisms where the letters form words in themselves (HAND – Have a nice day. JAM – Just a minute and so on). Both shortened versions are a modern phenomenon – back beyond the 19th century they were rare although AD and BC have been around for as long as!
TAKE YOUR PICK
Acronyms and initialisms are important to verbal as well as written language: most of us wouldn’t want to spell out or say Caisse Primaire de l’Assurance Maladie every time we want to refer to it, hence CPAM.
Nonetheless, these shortened forms can be difficult to absorb and keep track of.
To the subject of this post – FORMATION AIDANTS 2 – SECOND TRAINING SESSION FOR CARERS which, as you will see, contained a number of necessary initialisms. This time, we were introduced to the various organisations offering help, financial or otherwise, to sufferers of Dementia and their carers.
(in some cases I haven’t included an English translation as I think it’s obvious what the French means)
NEEDING SUPPORT
LES AIDES HUMAINES – roughly translates as help with day-to-day living for the handicapped including sufferers of Dementia in all its forms
- Les Soins Infirmières – nursing help at home
- Les Aides à Domiciles – daily living assistants
- Les Auxiliaires de Vie – an Aide à Domicile qualified to work with cognitive problems as well
- ESA – Equipe Specialisée Aide Memoire + – a team specialising in Dementia memory problems and more, comprising an Ergothérapeute (art therapist), a Psychomotricien (nearest translation – occupational therapist) and an Assistante de Soins Gérontologie (a person specialising in the problems of the elderly)
- Orthophoniste – specialist in verbal and non-verbal communication
- APA – Allocation Personnalisée d’Autonomie – administrated/coordinated by a Gestionnaire de Cas – Administrator in charge of individual cases who will also assess and arrange financial aid as appropriate and in line with certain conditions
along with:
- CIAS – Centre Intercommunal d’Action Sociale
- CLIC – Centre Locale D’information Et De Coordination Gérontologique
LES STRUCTURES D’ACCUEIL – roughly translates as Reception Centres
- L’hôpital de jour et l’accueil de jour – day hospital or outpatient facility. Workshops, therapies, social events etc. for sufferers and those carrying the stress of the physical and psychological burden of caring
- UCC – Unités Cognitivo-Comportementales – Unit specialising in stabilising behavioural problems
STAIRLIFT
LES AIDES TECHNIQUES – technical aid
The difficulties resulting from living with AD will, at the later stages, necessitate changes to the home environment. There are various organisations likely to become involved in this process:
- ANAH – L’Agence Nationales pour l’Amélioration de l’Habitat – agency responsible for allocating aid for certain home improvements and adaptations
- CAH – Commission d’Amélioration de l’Habitat – agency in charge of allocating financial aid in cases outside those covered by ANAH
- PALULOS – Subvention à L’amélioration Des Logements Locatifs Sociales – agency in charge of assessing and allocating financial assistance on rental properties
Financial help is also available through the French Pension services for those with a pension below a certain level.
LES AIDES SOCIALES AND FINANCIERES – Social and financial help
- ALD – Affections de Longue Durée – sufferers of certain longterm diseases or conditions will, depending on their incapacities, quality for 100% coverage of their medical expenses. This will be prescribed by their local doctor and put into place through their Social Security team
- La Carte d’Invalidité – Invalid’s card – entitling the holder to a range of benefits. It’s usually allocated to those who are considered to be less than 80% fully functional
- CCAS – Centre Communal d’Action Sociale – community centre for social action or …
- MDPH – Maison Départementale des Personnes Handicapées – departmental administration office for handicapped people (may differ from department to department)
- ACS – Aide Complementaire Santé – financial help towards Complimentary Health Insurance
- LA CARTE DE STATIONNEMENT – disabled parking card allocated by MDPH
- LA CARTE DE PRIORITE PERSONNE HANDICAPEE – special privileges card giving priority to handicapped people in public places, especially transport services
- LE CONGE DU PROCHE AIDANT – Time off for working (salaried) carers
- ASPA – L’ALLOCATION DE SOLIDARITE AUX PERSONNES AGEES – Allocation of (financial) support for elderly people
- L’AIDE AU LOGEMENT – help with home expenses where appropriate. Allocated by the local CAF – Caisse des Allocations Familiales – family benefits department
- LES AIDES FISCALES A DOMICILE ET EN ETABLISSEMENT – fiscal help for those on low incomes living at home or in a retirement home. The local tax office will advise
HELP GETTING ABOUT
LES AIDES JURIDIQUES – Legal help
Three new laws have been put in place to protect those who are unable or can no longer conduct their own affairs:
Firstly it is extremely important to create, through a notaire:
- LE MANDAT DE PROTECTION FUTURE – Enduring Power of Attorney covering medical and financial decisions. A signed and witnessed WILL, translated into French, is also highly recommended
The three laws require or recommend the establishment of:
- LA PERSONNE DE CONFIANCE – a trusted person (usually a carer, spouse or family member, close friend or family doctor). Someone who will be able to express the wishes of a sufferer if they are unable to do so themselves. This is not obligatory but strongly advised and should be written in French if appropriate –
- DIRECTIVES ANTICIPEES – A Living Will ie. requests re. resuscitation, organ donation, funeral, disposal of the body and so on
- SAUVEGARDE DE JUSTICE, CURATELLE ET TUTELLE – (roughly means curatorship of personal affairs and protection of property and effects if these are not covered by a marital agreement
A very useful site to refer to for general information is for older people is https://www.pour-les-personnes-agees.gouv.fr/
(For clarification and more information on the above Legal Help Laws, consult France Alzheimer)
To end on a lighter note, English speakers will be amused to learn that the acronym for France Alzheimer Gers is FAG – no disrespect intended.
PLEASE NOTE: I am confident that the information interpreted in this post is accurate but, if anyone would like to correct, please feel free to do so and I will amend as necessary.
Comments
doodahtwo.home.blog 
adrienne says
Hello Sue
This is very informative and useful.
It seems that there is a lot of help available for AD sufferers and their carers. Have you been pleasantly surprised by the French system for care and help for Leaf and yourself?
Thanks, Adrienne. It was rather a chore putting it together, but I’m glad you think it’s useful.
The treatment Leaf and I have received has been really good. The ladies concerned are warm, sympathetic, understanding and forthcoming with ideas. We are extremely impressed with the standard of care, consideration and dedication to making sufferers’ and carers’ lives as bearable as possible. Only one out of at least a dozen helpers and specialists hasn’t been pleasant – I mentioned that in my UNDER SURVEILLANCE.
A major difference I’ve noted is that the Social Services in France appear to be all out to help those in need whereas, in Britain, it seems the staff are trained to avoid paying out whenever they can. Frankly, I find it cruel and insulting the way so many disabled and disadvantaged people are apparently being treated.
Brilliantly interesting and useful information Sue. Thankyou!
I think it was a fantastic piece of research and so valuable to others going through similar difficulties to yourself and leaf.
Thanks for your supportive comment JA. I have to admit it was a laborious post to put together but feel it’s important information, not just for dementia sufferers and carers, but for all English-speaking people living in France, even if they don’t need it at the moment.
Hi Sue
I agree with the last 2 comments ! this is all very helpful information so thank you once again
I think it’s important we go to a Notaire to sort out living wills power of Attorney etc
Love the abbreviation FAG !!
Thanks Gail and, yes, I really recommend you make an appointment with the notaire to start the ball rolling. Never too soon. As I experienced with Terry, my first husband, a car accident or similar can change our lives in an instant so it’s best to have these documents in place. Likewise when we’re getting on a bit!