New trend: 13% of French people think that “aging is an illness”

13% of French people think that “aging is an illness”, according to a new BVA survey for the MUTAC Foundation.

Aging still inspires fear in the French

“The results of the MUTAC Foundation barometer, carried out in collaboration with the BVA research institute, shed light on the French’s perception of older people. The objective: to change the way young people see their elders, to break down ideas received and combat isolation”, can we read at the start of the investigation.

Older people are primarily seen as useful to our society (89% of French people), bearers of wisdom (77%) and having knowledge to pass on (94%). However, despite these advantages, aging still inspires fear (at 68%) and is also seen as a hindrance to social life (at 43%). For 13% of respondents, aging is even considered an illness. “An unfortunately emerging trend, following the growing medicalization of aging”, analyze the authors of the survey.

How to age well or better?

Another lesson from the survey: the French estimate, on average, that 41% of elderly people are dependent or losing their autonomy in France. This representation is even stronger among young people, with 18-29 year olds estimating the share of dependent elderly people at 47%. “However, INSEE determines that the proportion of people aged 60 and over experiencing loss of autonomy is only 15.3% (i.e. around 2.5 million individuals)”, recall the two instances.

Finally, when the French are asked what they think they need to age well or better, it is social ties that are cited first by 34% of respondents, ahead of health (31%) and financial means ( 28%).

“The intergenerational bond is essential to change the way we see our elders. It must be prioritized and valued. This is closely correlated with the question of social bond because the elderly are people like others, who have want to be loved and simply considered. This is why in almost 10 years and in collaboration with associations we have financed more than 21 projects for more than 100,000 euros in grants”concludes Nicole Bigas, president of the MUTAC Foundation.

The population over 85 will explode

The aging of our population can be measured in simple figures: the number of French people aged 75 to 84 will increase by 50% between 2020 and 2030, going from 4.1 million to 6.1 million. Subsequently, in the following decade, the population over 85 years old will experience a real explosion, with a growth rate greater than 50%.

“We know the two main reasons for this development: the birth rate is falling and medicine is making such progress that life expectancy continues to increase,” precise a recent government report.