Looking After an Ageing Parent in France
Share the care of an elderly parent with your sibling, and find out about alarms, home help and day centres in France.
In France the APA (allocation personnalisée d'autonomie), paid by the département, helps people over 60 who are losing their independence pay for home help, after a team visits to assess their needs. The town hall's CCAS (centre communal d'action sociale) can point you to services such as téléassistance (an alarm pendant linked to a call centre), meal delivery, home nurses and day centres (accueil de jour). Brothers and sisters, and parents and adult children, always say tu to each other.
- 1
Papa vit seul maintenant.
Dad lives on his own now.
- 2
Je passe le voir un jour sur deux.
I drop in on him every other day.
- 3
Il perd de plus en plus la mémoire.
He's getting more and more forgetful.
- 4
L'autre jour, il a laissé la plaque allumée.
The other day he left the hob on.
- 5
On peut pas continuer comme ça.
We can't go on like this.
- 6
T'as pensé à la téléassistance ?
Have you thought about an alarm pendant service?
- 7
Il aurait un bouton à presser s'il tombe.
He'd have a button to press if he falls.
- 8
Il faut faire la demande au CCAS de la mairie.
You have to apply through the town hall's social services.
Tip: The town's social action centre handles help for older people.
- 9
Il refuse que quelqu'un vienne chez lui.
He won't have anyone coming into his home.
- 10
Il veut pas être un poids pour nous.
He doesn't want to be a burden on us.
- 11
On pourrait se relayer le week-end.
We could take turns at weekends.
- 12
Je m'occupe de ses rendez-vous médicaux.
I'll handle his medical appointments.
- 13
Papa, t'as pris tes médicaments aujourd'hui ?
Dad, have you taken your pills today?
- 14
T'inquiète pas pour moi, ça va.
Don't worry about me, I'm fine.
- 15
On pourrait se renseigner sur un accueil de jour.
We could look into a day centre.
- 16
Il y a un délai pour l'évaluation de l'APA.
There's a wait for the APA assessment.
Tip: The département's allowance that pays for help at home.
- 17
Franchement, je suis à bout.
Honestly, I'm at the end of my tether.
- 18
Faut que tu penses à toi aussi.
You need to look after yourself too.
- 19
On en parle tranquillement ce week-end.
Let's talk it over calmly this weekend.
- 20
Merci d'être là.
Thanks for being there.