Will elderly people be able to take their faithful companions to nursing homes?
The government said it was in favor on Friday of establishing a right for residents to be accompanied by their pet, as suggested by a provision of the “aging well” bill which will be debated again by parliamentarians mid -March.
A text that could be voted on from March 19
“I am in favor (…) of opening the possibility in the law of welcoming pets in nursing homes,” indicated on X (ex-Twitter) the Minister of Labor, Health and Solidarity Catherine Vautrin.
She invited parliamentarians “to take up this social issue with a view to further humanizing our nursing homes” during their upcoming debates on the bill.
I confirm the words of my delegated minister: I am in favor, following on from @philippejuvin's amendment, of opening up the possibility in the law of welcoming pets into EHPADs.
Respectful of the work of parliament and its timetable, I invite the… https://t.co/yIWRcO8uGU
— Catherine Vautrin (@CaVautrin) March 1, 2024
Currently, nursing homes are free to accept or refuse pets.
An amendment from LR MP Philippe Juvin, included in this bill, proposes to create a right for elderly people to move into an establishment with their four-legged companion.
The text will be discussed in a joint committee (CMP), in a small committee, on March 12 at the National Assembly.
If this step is conclusive, a vote on the bill will take place in the Assembly on March 19, then in the Senate on March 27.
Small animals affected
The separation between elderly people who enter nursing homes and their pets “is heartbreaking”, especially since “when they leave their home, they lose their bearings”, underlined Friday on France 2, the Minister Delegate in charge of the Elderly Fadila Khattabi, who says she supports the measure which would be a “very good step forward”.
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However, “we will have to be realistic”, we will not be able to move into a nursing home with “an animal like a boa”, she warned.
It is rather “the dogs, the cats, the goldfish, the little canary” who will be welcome in the 7,500 nursing homes in France, public, private or associative.
These practical arrangements could be defined by decree, after consultation with stakeholders in the sector, a source close to the matter told AFP.
If parliamentarians approve the provision, “I will ensure that it is implemented very quickly,” assured Fadila Khattabi.
Or normally in spring.