troy01

Hi everyone,

I wondered if you could help us? we are an adult social work department in sunny old kent, England. and we are trying to organise a development day in france where we can visit either a nursing home for older people or a medical rehabilitation centre. We work mostly with older people, and we want to compare social care in france with our own community care services in kent.

We would be travelling via Calais, and looing for 1 hr max trip from Calais to a suitable home/centre.

it would be great if the home could speak english too!!

Any advice would be greatly received. there would be about 8 of us, so not to intrusive to any service provider, and we would be requesting for a tour of the home and time for questioning about the welfare state and commnuity care options in france.

kind regards and thanks for any advice available

Troy O'Neill
Social Worker

val50

Hi Troy
welcome to the forum. To be honest, when I first read your post I thought it was a wind up and almost didn't allow it. I have also edited out the contact details you put in the open forum. After you post 3 times, people can contact you via pm's.
I am still not too sure where to start in my reply.
However, if you do a search on google you will quite a bit of information for
maison de'retraite, this link being quite a good one.
http://www.lesmaisonsderetraite.fr/
I'm a UK registered nurse. I used to commute from France to UK to work, my last job in Portsmouth working with the elderly. I honestly cannot believe you are serious about taking "up to 8 people" on this trip. For once, I'm lost for words - and as many on this forum will tell you, that doesn't happen often.
Also, if a team from France were coming over to UK to do the same thing would you honestly expect them to find a home that could speak French?
If none of you speak French then how are you going to compare facilities, how will you know what is going on?
I don't know how the other's feel about this, over to you guys!

sdale100

Hello,

This is a difficult one, and I wish you good luck. I don't know if you are just interested in old people's homes, or also maybe psychiatric units. If you are interested in the latter, Bailleul and Hazebrouck (about 40 minutes from Calais) have some of the largest installations in France.

As for retirement homes, I can't help much, but I do know if you are looking for an hour's drive from Calais, Belgium has a wide range of installations all over the country, and you probably stand a better chance of them speaking English. Hope this helps.

troy01

Hi val,

thanks for your replies. my team (other 7 people) and I are trying to get an overview of community care in france, mainly because we are forever expanding our boundaries for social care services, and await the day a referral comes when a family memeber wants to access nursing home care in france to be nearer their family. being on the border with france, it will happen soon!!!

The bit about english speaking is actually relevant because we have specialist homes in England that are both language and culturally specific for minority ethnic communities. it is aminly an overview we are after, i have spent several hours on google without success.

reagrds

Troy.

val50

Hi Troy,
If it's mainly an overview you want, then surely asking people such as myself who've worked in this field in UK and live in France would give you the answers?
I accept your arguement that an elderly person would want to stay in a nursing home in France rather than one in UK, but what I can't understand why it would take 8 of you to assess the facilities? It's also a large number of people to take around any institution. I know we couldn't have coped with a number that large in Portsmouth. Whilst you might have homes in England that are both language and culturally specific etc. I am sure none cater for French speakers, and you didn't answer my initial question which was how can you assess the facilities if none of you speak french and can't really understand what is going on? Being even more presumptious, who is funding this trip for 8 people? Is it part of ongoing research, ie at university level, or is it departmental? Will a report be written at the end of the trip, if so who for? I am just curious having worked in this field for many years. I know the battles we had to obtain funding for our patients in UK, the stress families were put under when they tried to get help.
I am not sure why you can't find any information on Google, if you want to be more specific, I am sure we can help. You only need to post once more and you can get private messages too.

Poppy2

Sorry to pop in and interupt this thread - but when is the NHS going to refer anyone to a French Care facility?? Unless it is because there is a hidden seam of French people who might get some of the already hard to get Care home beds? Exactly who funds such jolly trips??

This sounds far more like a booze cruise to me

Surely google could get you some direct contact with Nursing/care homes? If not, then best get someone involved who has some French and get them onto the task.

Seriously, 8 people from the same department? None of whom speak French, so you would like an English speaking person at a Nursing/care home? Seriously? The French are going to love you lot!

Had you heard that there are Nursing homes in Australia and New Zealand? They speak English and there are quite a few UK residents with family over there. Its a thought right? Though you may all need to sell your Blackberry's to pay for some of the tickets

But really?

troy01

Hi Poppy,

I actually work for Social Services not the NHS, and we enable many people each year to access nursing and residential care in England. When you take the costs of placements inot consideration, it is actually cheaper in france than England. (although cost is not the issue here, its all about client choice, why should a client not be enabled to access residential care in another country to be near family?)
I used to work in learning disability and almost arranged a placmeent in Spain for a young man with severe autism to be near his parents who had emigrated out there, so it is possible in theory.
We are actually funding the trip with a major contribution from ourselves personally, to fund petrol and ferry for 2 cars. Actual cost to dept will be about £80 in all, so good value for money don't uyou think?
It is a development day for the team, we have one per year and we thought we would be more creative rather than cost a department £500 to sit in a rented office for the day and do team action planning.
With the new modernisation agenda in social care, we wanted to explore how our french colleagues address the needs of vulnerable clients, and what services like OT and telecare/telehealth in order to support people in their own homes.
Also, our district is twinned with Auchel,(since 1983) and its our 25th year anniversary and a great idea to celebrate such a feat. We are also twinned with Rang Du Fliers (since 1995)

I didnt know there was so much ill feeling for the public service to lhave the opportunity to learn and observe good practice from our french colleagues

Ka Ora!

It sounds a bit like passing the buck to me push people in to some one else's district the further away the better. It's not a statement with a lack of Knowledge as i am from Tunbridge Wells and my Grand Father and his wife struggled with Tonbridge and Malling Social Services for some care and assistance in the home. Old people in this area are not pushed in to homes they get daily visits by Nurse's and doctors if need be. There is a greater feeling of family and a lot more remain with the younger generations. And the Care and Welfare system provides a lot more assistance more focus is placed on keeping Older people empowered and not pushed to the wayside. I spent 2 years working at Holden House in Southbourgh and a year at Frant House as you know both Residential Homes providing Care and Assistance to very different Spectrum of people with what i have seen from the outside the French system is far greater.

sunderland

Have you considered travelling to Berck/Le Touquet which is 45 minutes from Calais?

troy01

Hi Sunderland,

At moment I will consider anywhere in France!!!

I have been to le touquet, did you suggest that because of any particular establishment or service their?

kind regards

Troy.

val50

http://www.letouquet.com/web/tourism...px?id_langue=2

sunderland

Troy

As far as I know they are two Nursing Homes (one may be a privavte home) and a residential home for mobile elderly people. I would suggest you contact the Tourist office the telephone number is available from the Le Touquet.com website and they can give you a list of homes in the area and I am sure an english speaking member of staff may contact the home for you and find out if your visit would be possible. I am sure the Hotel Du Ville will also be helpful. I think it is best to start with the Tourist Office.

If you look in the French News Newspaper (for Residents and Lovers of France www.french-news.com small ads there is a lady that has set up a volunteer service for visiting english patients in French hospitals she may also be a useful resource. The newspaper maybe interested in doing a news piece on your journey

Regards

Sunderland