Summer can mean isolation for the elderly. During the long holidays, the visits of relatives or neighbors are often less frequent. Several initiatives to break their loneliness have emerged in recent years: helping out at home, gardening with others, lectures on history or literature ... Thursday in La France bouge , Europe 1 presents three entrepreneurs who are specialized on the subject.
Helping hands every day
The company Allo Louis puts seniors in touch with local students, who can go to their homes to change a light bulb, tidy up, or go buy a baguette. "These young people have no particular expertise. They provide services that are little taken care of by conventional personal assistance services," explains Alexandre Durand, founder of Allo Louis, at the microphone of Europe 1.
Registered seniors contact Allo Louis by phone, and the company then takes care of finding an available student as soon as possible. They have the choice between a subscription at 10 euros per month including two home services, or a formula at 20 euros with unlimited calls. Young people are paid 10 euros an hour. "We select each student with whom we work according to their motivation, their listening skills, their oral expression," specifies Alexandre Durand.
For the moment, the hundred beneficiaries live in the vast majority in Paris, but Allo Louis aims to spread to other cities in France.
Reconnecting generations through art
Alumni of the Ecole du Louvre, Laura Largillet and her associates founded Artora in 2018 to facilitate access to culture for the elderly. "We had grandparents, great grandparents in Ehpad who complained of not learning anything anymore." The company offers students of art history, history or letters to hold conferences in retirement homes. "We focus on questions, listening, dialogue. Seniors obviously have a lot to share!" Says Laure Largillet.
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Some conferences are now recorded and projected in the partner Ehpad. Another activity planned for the summer: thematic tours of Paris, for independent seniors.
Gardening against loss of autonomy
In the city or in a nursing home, it is rare for the elderly to be able to garden at will. To remedy this shortcoming, Gildwen Bodiguel set up the L'Arbre aux sens project with the association A Vos Soins. It is a shared garden located in Saint-Nazaire, which welcomes autonomous seniors and nursing home residents. Each session takes place in the presence of a health professional, psychologist, physiotherapist, or osteopath. "It's easier to discuss your problems in this type of setting," says Gildwen Bodiguel.
The garden is located in a priority area of the city, la Bouletterie, and is accessible by public transport. The elderly can walk there, enjoy the greenery, and maintain the ornamental plants that are regularly planted there. The project was successful, and Gildwen Bodiguel is now looking for more land than its current 500 square meters.