In Moselle, as everywhere in France, the caregivers play an essential role to the elderly, sick or disabled. “A caregiver is a person who provides assistance on a regular and frequent basis in a non-professional capacity, to carry out acts or activities of daily life for a person with a loss of autonomy, whether due to age, illness or disability,” explains Cécile MICHEL, president of Maison des Aidants 57.
Their daily commitment often results in physical and psychological exhaustion. So, who can help those who dedicate themselves daily to helping their neighbors? Today, professional and associative actors are mobilizing to offer solutions to these caregivers. ALL-Metz invites you to discover some local initiatives.
In France, it is estimated that they are between 8 and 11 million. Caregivers are everywhere, and everyone is called upon to be a caregiver during their life. However, this question has long remained on the fringes of the debate. For several years, the subject gains visibility and things are moving, of course, sometimes slowly, but field projects are multiplying.
A 2023-2027 mobilization and support strategy has been put in place by the government, one of the key measures of which is the creation of caregiver leave. This leave is nevertheless granted subject to reservation (existence of a family bond or a close relationship with the person being cared for, etc.) and is limited in duration.
To benefit from it, as with all other devices, you must know it and be able to claim it. This is the objective of the platforms created by the State in the territories.
A respite platform to support caregivers
Created in 2018, the Respite platform 57directed by Marika NEVILLE, is one of the flagship systems in Moselle to support caregivers. It comes from the government’s strategy, which, to facilitate procedures for caregivers, offers a single contact per department. “We mainly work with caregivers of elderly people in the East and caregivers of disabled people throughout Moselle,” explains the director.
The platform guarantees a welcome in the territory and provides administrative support so that each caregiver is able to benefit from the assistance put in place. “We also work at home, offering adapted respite solutions such as sessions with gerontological care assistants, psychological support or even well-being workshops such as shiatsu or sophrology in the swimming pool,” explains Marika NEVILLE. These services are available free of charge thanks to the support of the ARS (Regional Health Agency) and the department.
The primary mission of the platform is to preventing caregiver burnout. “We try to intervene before they ask us too late, when they are already exhausted,” explains Marika. In addition to psychological support, the platform offers training to help caregivers better understand their role and better organize themselves in the face of daily challenges.
Répit 57 actively supports more than 150 people per year in Moselle and its actions reach a much wider audience. As the profiles of caregivers can vary, as can their needs, we must constantly adapt to meet the challenges. “There is no global answer to provide. The situations are linked to everyone’s life journey. We need to find the right solutions together,” says Marika NEVILLE.
The Maison des Aidants de Metz shines on the Moselle
“Professionals do a good job, but only a caregiver can truly understand the impact on the person’s life. Work, private life, social relationships, everything changes when you become a caregiver,” explains Cécile MICHEL, president of the Carers’ house. Created by the Collectif Handicap 57 in 2016, this house brings together 21 associations working in the field of disability and disabling illnesses. “We are unique in France: it is a house managed by caregivers, for caregivers,” explains Cécile MICHEL.
For her, this allows a real understanding of the problems that these families face. “We travel everywhere but at our own expense. We give time. We give a lot of energy. For what ? It’s also a choice we made when creating this house. We said to ourselves that we knew the needs of caregivers better than anyone,” she adds.
Discussion groups, well-being activities and psychological support by professionals are offered by the Maison des caregivers. The premises also contain a information space to better understand the impact of a disability or illness on daily life. “When a person becomes ill, we are there to explain the repercussions on the family and guide them towards appropriate solutions. Our associative fabric gives us expertise which allows us to direct people to the right contact,” explains Cécile.
Ultimately, the missions are quite similar, and even complementary, to those of the Répit 57 platform. Other structures also exist, such as the Professional carers’ home in Freyming-Merlebach or even lDieuze hospitalstrongly committed to this public.
Nevertheless, in the community, all the players agree on thecolossal gap between the resources deployed and real needs. “Everyone agrees that caregivers are essential and that it is essential to support them. However, the actions undertaken remain modest, limited to small gestures here and there. Although progress has been made, it is far from sufficient to allow caregivers to live with dignity on a daily basis,” laments Cécile MICHEL.
“Respite is essential, but resources are often lacking when we have to help several caregivers. We must also take into account the people they help, who sometimes cannot remain without assistance,” agrees Marika NEVILLE, from Répit 57.
ALYS, a personal services association present in Meuse, Meurthe-et-Moselle and Moselle, plays an essential role in notably offering home care services. “It’s very useful, but there is still a cost to the person. Among helping parents, the mother very often stops her professional activity. Insecurity is unfortunately widespread among caregivers,” explains Cécile MICHEL.
“A TIME to HELP”: a project by and for caregivers
Marie-Hélène FAURE, president of theassociation Act for Helpers in Mosellefounded in January 2024, carries two projects intended to improve the daily lives of caregivers. The first is the creation of a “helper bus”, which would travel throughout the regions to provide respite solutions. The 2nd project is the creation of non-institutional respite places for caregivers and their loved ones.
“We want to offer tailor-made stays in suitable places, such as lodges, with personalized support and well-being activities,” she explains. These places are designed to bring a real moment of relaxation to familieswhile benefiting from a professional network nearby (physiotherapists, sophrologists, etc.).
Les Bobos à la ferme, in La Madelaine-sous-Montreuil (Pas-de-Calais), is the typical example of what she would like to offer in Moselle. Discover a video presentation of the concept:
Implementing projects of this type proves difficult given the current economic context. “The systems exist elsewhere in France, but in Moselle, we still need to convince and mobilize funding,” concedes the president of the association.
What future for caregivers?
If initiatives exist and new ones appear regularly, the challenge is immense. With a aging populationthe needs of caregivers continue to grow: one in four people over 60 is a caregiver, according to government figures.
“Caregivers are essential, but we do not do enough to allow them to lead a normal life,” summarizes Cécile MICHEL. “There is literature that we all know about caregivers and the reality on the ground. The concrete solutions to reduce caregiver burnout and isolation are simple, but in reality, the needs are far from being met,” says Marie-Hélène FAURE, president of the Agir pour les Aidants association.
While waiting for better support for these millions of French people, who sometimes experience great suffering, simple actions can make a big difference. “Helping can simply consist of allowing him to go to the hairdresser or go shopping alone. We must not accept the isolation of the person,” concludes Cécile MICHEL, president of the Maison des Aidants.
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