When she wanders the corridors, Choupette, Sylvain Salama's dog, is a real star.
Residents and caregivers at the Fontaine nursing home, located in Asnières-sur-Seine, shout
“Hi Choupette!”
, the beatific smile.
“Everyone loves her and comes to pet her
,” explains her 91-year-old master proudly, comfortably seated in an armchair.
But this little
“Malchi” –
a breed of dog crossed between the Maltese Bichon and the Chihuahua –
“prefers certain faces to others, to whom she gives less cuddles
,” laughs Sylvain Salama.
Although Choupette has her own little character, her integration into the residence went
“very well”
, assures Anissa Bensouna.
The director of the establishment is convinced that the presence of a pet in a nursing home is
“beneficial for everyone”
.
This is why the residence
“has accepted pets since its opening, almost thirty years ago
,” she continues.
Today, nursing homes are free to accept or not accept a resident's animal, but the government and several elected officials want to make it a right for seniors.
This subject is thus at the heart of the “Aging well” bill tabled by two Renaissance deputies, an LR senator and a senator from the Union Centrist group.
It aims to
“reform the period of old age”
through an improvement in the autonomy of the elderly, specifies Laurence Cristol, LR deputy rapporteur of the law.
One of the amendments to this bill passed this Tuesday, March 19 in the National Assembly offers residents the possibility of keeping their furry companion - but also their feathered or scaly companion - in their nursing home.
Concretely, if this law is passed, nursing homes will no longer be able to refuse residents' animals.
And it would also make it possible to make the entry of elderly people into the establishment more peaceful, often described as a
“break”
with their habits and their benchmarks.
This was Sylvain Salama's only condition when he moved into the Hauts-de-Seine nursing home residence, almost three years ago.
“Even for a million I wouldn’t have let go of Choupette,”
he assures, categorically, while sending tender eyes to his dog.
“I have always had dogs, they are part of my life.
She’s like my friend
,” he continues, his eyes shining.
And this bill is almost unanimous among the population.
According to an Ifop survey for the 30 million friends foundation published last February, 9 out of 10 French people (86%) are in favor of welcoming pets into nursing homes.
“Improving the resident’s life”
“The presence of an animal really calms the residents
,” notes Lamia, a nursing assistant at the nursing home.
“Choupette and Sylvain have formed a real bond.
As soon as I enter his room to wash him, Choupette always stands in front of him, protective.
So I pet her a little, then she stays calm in her round velvet basket
,” says the woman in the blouse, who has worked here for four years.
But Choupette also made a connection with other residents, like Monique.
“As soon as she sees me at the other end of the corridor she celebrates me.
“It’s a bit like our mascot
,” she says, smiling.
That day, Monique took part in an animal mediation workshop organized by the nursing home.
Aurore, the host, came with her dog Happy and her five guinea pigs.
All the animals are placed on a table, surrounded by colorful and sensory games to stimulate the elderly who eagerly caress them.
“When they see the animals, their faces light up, they smile and start talking.
They are happy
,” greets Anissa Bensouna.
Monique never misses an animal mediation workshop in her nursing home in Asnières-sur-Seine.
Clara Hidalgo / Le Figaro
Last summer, a resident who stayed in the nursing home for a few months had several birds.
“We had installed the aviary in the entrance and all the residents came to observe them.
They really appreciated it
,” remembers Lamia, pointing to the location of the cage.
“Improving the life of residents”
was the objective of Philippe Juvin, LR MP, when he proposed including this amendment in the “Aging Well” bill.
“Entering a nursing home is a break in life.
Elderly people are fragile and trauma, such as separation from one's animal, aggravates aging
,” says the elected official, personally touched by this question.
For Annie Vidal, Renaissance MP and co-rapporteur of the law,
“not accepting animals was the only thing that kept certain people from going to live in nursing homes”
.
The elderly people do not take their eyes off the animals during the hour of the animal mediation workshop.
Clara Hidalgo / La Figaro
Read also Ehpad: pets against loneliness
Necessary supervision
But for cohabitation between residents and animals to work,
“you have to establish an organization
,” recognizes Anissa Bensouna.
With the years and experience, his establishment has governed a protocol: the resident must be able to take a minimum of care of his animal, that is to say carry out daily outings and feed it.
Sylvain Salama is in fact independent, he takes Choupette out four times a day on the roof terrace and the two gardens of the residence, and sometimes even in the street.
“It’s royal
,” he is satisfied.
Then, the resident must choose a godfather or godmother for veterinary appointments, purchasing food and outings if necessary.
He can choose a member of his family, a caregiver if he accepts it or a resident in good shape.
The question of the animal's fate after the death of its owner is also discussed with the family.
The Minister for the Elderly, Fadila Khattabi, who positioned herself in favor of this amendment, confirmed
“that things will have to be regulated”
with our colleagues at France Bleu.
The rapporteurs of the law assure Le
Figaro
that conditions of acceptance will be established by
“decree”,
such as the
“category”
and the number of animals which can be accommodated,
“because the definition of companion animals is very broad”
, explains MP Laurence Cristol.
“Imagine that a resident has a boa and cannot take care of it, this can hamper the entire organization of the nursing home
,” illustrates Annie Vidal.
An amendment that divides
The promise of these adjustments by decree came because the amendment still divided elected officials last week.
The two senators rapporteurs of the law, Jean Sol and Jocelyne Guidez, have in fact rejected the initial amendment.
The latter provided that the reception of animals in nursing homes would become an
“enforceable right”
.
This means that a resident who finds his animal refused could assert his enforceable right and thus have his companion accepted, against the wishes of the establishment.
However, according to the two rapporteurs this
“would introduce a real risk for nursing homes”
.
“This is why the reception of the animal will be guaranteed but subject to conditions
,” concludes elected official Laurence Cristol.
The two senators Jean Sol and Jocelyne Guidez also mentioned
“health risks (allergies, hygiene, falls and bites)”
.
But for Philippe Juvin, also head of emergency at the Georges Pompidou hospital in Paris, these arguments are not solid:
“The risks are minimal in having a dog or a cat.
At Cochin hospital, for example, we can have a visit from a cat in the intensive care unit, where the patients are the most vulnerable
,” he defends.
Although the amendment is no longer an
“enforceable right”
, MP LR still says he is satisfied with the final text that the National Assembly is preparing to vote on.
Also read: Hospital, community medicine, nursing home: why Gabriel Attal's promises are not enough
This law “
could encourage other establishments to take the plunge”
, rejoices the director of the Asnières-sur-Seine nursing home Anissa Bensouna
.
According to her,
“few nursing homes accept the presence of animals because they are very apprehensive”
.
Which forces owners to abandon their companions.
The president of the 30 Million Friends Foundation deplored last February that
“shelters too often welcome dogs and cats whose owners were forced to part with them reluctantly, during their transfer to nursing homes”
and therefore called for this law
to “put an end to these dramatic situations”
.