The French sensitive to chronic diseases
The French feel young. At over 50, 42% of them do not define themselves as “seniors” and only 16% of them consider themselves to be “elderly”.
This discrepancy can surely be explained by the improvement in living conditions which guarantee better autonomy for the elderly. The French aged 50 and over are an overwhelming majority to declare themselves as independent. They are about 8 out of 10 to consider themselves as autonomous (83%) and active (78%). Only a tenth of them (12%) admit to being dependent.
However, they are very susceptible to chronic illnesses, isolation and loss of autonomy. Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular diseases, etc…. the majority of French people (94%) are worried about these pathologies and 89% declare that the isolation of seniors and the loss of autonomy are very important public health problems. They are 78% to worry about their future dependency and 48% to fear caring for a member of their family who has become dependent.
Isolation and dependency: a real concern for the French
For 49% of French people, support for the loss of autonomy must also constitute the priority axis of the bill relating to the adaptation of society to aging. While the majority (69%), they declare that the public authorities do not sufficiently help dependent seniors, nor carers.
For a majority of French people, the financing of aging care should above all be the responsibility of Social Security (44% for pension funds, 35% for health insurance funds) as well as the State ( 36%).
This survey was carried out for Orange Healthcare and the mutual MNH, in partnership with Figaro Santé and with the assistance of the Sciences-Po Health Chair following the government’s announcement of its bill on the autonomy of the elderly. It will focus on keeping dependent seniors at home, and will be financed by the 645 million euros per year from a tax on the pensions of taxable retirees (the Casa), introduced in 2013.
