Ages et Vie: Personalised care and a richer social life for the elderly in rural FranceObjectives The concept Ages&Vie is based on the idea that elderly people have the right to live in their own village, close to their family and friends, while maintaining a maximum degree of autonomy in an environment which does not feel institutionalised. Furthermore, the project aims at providing jobs and professional qualifications for people who take care of the elderly in rural areas. Last but not least, the Ages&Vie homes aim at providing elderly people with an environment where they have company and social interaction. The Ages&Vie homes are built in the centre of the village, so that elderly people can keep in touch with their family, friends and neighbours, can continue to play a role in the life of the local community and are close to professional support staff. They also support inter-generational mixing to end the artificial separation of young and old people, which means that both miss out on the benefits that can come when the generations mix freely. The presence of three professionals in the homes means that they can take turns to look after the residents, so that they are not obliged to be available 24/7 on 365 days of the year, which would lead to overwork and continuous pressure. Most importantly, all support staff (in most cases women) are required to take part in a professional training programme which emphasises caring for the elderly in a way which allows them to keep a maximum of autonomy in their daily lives. |
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Nicolas Perrette Laurine Artus Marcel Guenoun Laurine Artus and Marcel Guenoun, our Associates in France, wrote this case study for Governance International on 12 March 2012. |