[Press Release] – For a New Outlook on Advanced Age and Loss of Autonomy!

PRESS RELEASE – February 3rd, 2022

Invitation to change our outlook on advanced age and loss of autonomy!

On January 29^th, 3 days after the launch of a national campaign on 1248 billboards in 7 major cities, hundreds of Alliance VITA volunteers invited the French public to change its’ outlook on advanced age and loss of autonomy.

In 60 cities, throughout metropolitan France and its’ overseas territories, Alliance VITA volunteers distributed thousands of leaflets designed to raise awareness on the plight of the elderly. These leaflets offer simple, reasonable answers to the fears that everyone experiences regarding advanced old age and have sparked profound conversations with caring and interested passers-by.

This campaign has reached all ages, young and old. Many seniors acknowledged the fears described in the leaflet and are willing to act so that being elderly should not rhyme with despair and “social death”.

This invitation to change our perspective has also aroused the interest of those caring for the elderly on a daily basis, whether caregiver, volunteer or loved ones. Some of them shared their joy in caring for people in vulnerable situations, while others highlighted the difficult challenges and lamented the lack of support.

Alliance VITA’s awareness campaign coincided with the release of a new book which investigates on negligence and mistreatment within the French retirement home group, Orpea. Many are troubled by these revelations while some caregivers are worried that despite their daily professional dedication, they may also be stereotyped as abusive.

Echoing the fears of mistreatment described in the leaflet, this book highlights the issue of advanced aging and loss of autonomy; a topic rarely mentioned at the beginning of a presidential campaign. Beyond denouncing mistreatments, Alliance VITA’s awareness campaign invites all citizens to stand by our elders to keep up their “joie de vie”.

“Changing our outlook to change someone’s life” is a steadfast call for every citizen to join forces with the elders to invent ways of life which allow for generations to stay in touch, and to accept everyone, in particular those who are most vulnerable.

Faced with so many attempts to legalize euthanasia, Alliance VITA appeals for the presidential candidates to commit themselves with the French people not to abandon elders and those who are vulnerable, not to push them further onto society’s margins. This entails 3 priorities:

• Submit and finally vote on the Advanced Age and Autonomy law which has been unjustly postponed throughout the past five-year presidential term.
• Decide that humanizing nursing homes is a national cause which involves all generations.
• Make palliative care accessible to seniors living at home and in nursing homes.

Refer to this link for the national campaign: www.alliancevita.org/changeons-nos-regards-pour-changer-sa-vie/. Click here for press kit. Press Contact +33 6 67 77 14 80contactpresse@alliancevita.org mailto:contactpresse@alliancevita.org