Elder abuse: on the leads of real solutions

The publication of journalist Victor Castanet's book, Les Fossoyeurs, which denounces the malfunctions of a large private group managing more than 200 residential facilities for the dependent elderly in France, caused a real outcry, both because it describes the mechanisms that generate abuse and because it points out the failings of the supervisory authorities. In the middle of the presidential campaign, politicians from all sides had to react to make a mark. Unfortunately, the strong proposals put forward by some, on the left and on the right, are likely to miss the main point, namely improving the quality of care provided to the elderly and rehabilitating spaces for discussion on work. These are the two key proposals put forward by Damien Collard in his book, Gériatrie: carrefour des souffrances, following a field survey conducted over three months in 2018 in a geriatric hospital ward.