In the east of Paris, a mobile team comes to the aid of those castaway from memory

« I come for the memory. » Laurie has just rang the doorbell of Mr. Privat*, on the fourth floor of a building on rue de Crimée, in 19^e district of Paris. This is his very first meeting with this affable 76-year-old man, but whose drawn features suggest that he is going through difficult times. Laurie, occupational therapist within the specialized Alzheimer’s team (ESA), home care service of the Fondation Maison des Champs de Saint-François d’Assise, has read the patient’s file.

Mr. Privat suffered a double stroke, followed by the recent death of his wife, and then loneliness, isolation, the progressive loss of bearings. His son has organized daily help with washing, meals, cleaning, medication, but the old man is nonetheless seriously disoriented. He repeats over and over again that he comes from Martinique, his date of birth, the year of his military service, he says…