care for the elderly

[Fil]

Hi, finally logged back on after my password problems. Other problems now exist - namely elderly father in Vaucluse who is ill in hospital, has not sorted his carte de sejour or medical care out, and equally elderly but much more switched on divorced mother now stuck down there sorting out his mess for him.

My question is this - what is the aftercare for someone like him (78) if he gets out of hospital and is allowed home, where he lives with his little dog all alone with only the cleaner and gardener once or twice a week to check he is still alive?

It is a problem of his own making, but of course it is now falling on poor Mum. She would like to get him to come back to the uk so she is around if he gets more ill or pops his clogs, but he is a stubborn old guy (that is why he is there on his own) and probably won't oblige once he is better. So what can she do to improve his care etc? He was able to look after himself but he has arthritis, is diabetic and asthmatic and has an aneurysm on his aorta all of which should have regular checks which he has not organised himself since he got there nearly three years ago. Of course, he is now not so capable as he was then, but any suggestion along these lines meets with a literally deaf ear. He was born in Paris, spoke mostly french till he was 9 and thinks he still can but alas what with chronic deafness and increasing old age, he cannot. But will not be told this.

Any advice about old parents etc would be gratefully received by me and my Mum. And the little dog too, who doubtless does not wish to be reduced to starving in his house if he does go and pop his clogs just after the cleaner has made her once weekly visit!

Thanks for any help in advance.

Fil

[Patf]

In our village there is a home help organisation for the elderly. Our neighbour used to run it from an office in the Mairie. I think you have to pay. Pat.

[Val_2]

Being on council I also sit on the CCAS which is the Social Action dept and it is we who decide as to what people may be allocated in care within the community as it comes from our budget. This covers meals delivered,home help although more and more lately this is coming under the regional high council. A lot of it depends on who is going to pay their part of it regarding the portion which a french national would have paid for during his/her working life but if your parents havn't lived in France for very long,they may not get any assistance as such or if they do, they may have to pay for most of it. Start at your local mairie and tell them what is going on and they may decide to include your parents in the next allocation depending on their circumstances,otherwise you may need to go the CPAM and see if they can help you out with some sortof benefit. Remember though in France, when an elderly person goes into a retirement home, it is usually the family that picks up a good 50% or more of their costs which is why so many elderly are kept within the family home.

[Fil]

Thanks everyone. My mum tells me that he has (on a good day) agreed to go back to the UK but cannot leave until he has had various hospital tests to discover cause of his anaemia so she is having to stay down there whilst he is in hospital. We are just hoping he does not change his mind again. Looks like I get to inherit the little dog whilst we await its six month clearance to go back - if it comes to that. Depends I suppose on where he goes when he gets back. My Mum has been told not to take him into her house (they are divorced) or the state will think she can look after him and do nothing to help. He does have enough money (good pension and some capital) to pay for a private nursing home if necessary so we are considering all options at the moment.
Thanks for all the advice. Fil