The Little Brothers of the Poor enrich the debate on the end of life by publishing a collection of words from old citizens who wanted to express themselves on the subject.
The citizens’ agreement on the end of life brought together 184 citizens from all walks of life who, from December 2022 to March 2023, had the mission to answer the following question:
“Is the end-of-life support framework adapted to the different situations encountered or should any changes be introduced?
The Little Brothers of the Poor Association worked in parallel with the Citizens’ Convention for the end of life and gave the floor to the elderly, which is quite rare, to allow them to contribute their thoughts on this subject. For more than 75 years, the association has been supporting people in their last quarter of life, alone or isolated, with low incomes, often vulnerable, so it has recognized expertise in supporting people who are sick or at the end of life.
A lack of knowledge about the devices
For example, lack of knowledge about Claeys–Leonetti law, advance directives, trusted person. All these systems are largely unknown to the people supported by the Association, and who responded.
According the BVA study “The French and the end of life”carried out in October 2022, on behalf of the Ministry of Health and Prevention and the National Center for Palliative and End-of-Life Care, on the opinion with regard to the current laws, concerning the end of life, the French appear globally divided; almost one in two French people believe that the laws guarantee respect for their wishes and preferences for the end of their life, and almost one in two French people think that they do not guarantee it.
Some numbers
In 2018, more than half of deaths took place in hospitals, including 2/3 of people aged 75 and over. The older they get, the more elderly people die at home or in nursing homes.
In 2019, France had 2.8 palliative care beds per 100,000 inhabitants, 26 departments had no palliative care unit, and three were insufficiently equipped, with less than one bed per 100,000 inhabitants. France had 428 mobile palliative care units, or 0.64 per 100,000 inhabitants. (Source: National Center for Palliative and End-of-Life Care).
“It worries me, I’m all alone and I’m afraid of death.”
Marie-Thérèse, 87, living at home“Words of old citizens on the end of life” – Little Brothers of the Poor