What help is there to cope with new disability?

My wife has had to have her leg amputated and we want to know about financial aid to install home equipment and groups that can assist. Is this something our Cpam can help with?

It is unlikely Cpam can help – financial aid of this kind is not usually in its remit. However, there is a lot of financial aid for disabled people in France, which your wife may be eligible for, depending on her age and your combined income levels.

One is the Allocation personnalisée d’autonomie (Apa), for those aged 60-plus and with a reduced level of autonomy. 

Disabled people falling below certain ‘modest’ income thresholds may also be eligible for grants covering up to 70% of work via the MaPrimeAdapt’ scheme. Other aid includes the AAH (Allocation aux adultes handicapés) or a pension d’invalidité. Find a full list.

Each department also has a maison départementale pour les personnes handicapées (MDPH) disabled people’s centre. You can find yours by searching with MDPH and your department. 

Submitting a dossier to this will allow the service to assess your needs and rights as a disabled person. Every MDPH has a multidisciplinary team of doctors, nurses, occupational therapists, psychologists, social workers, and inclusion and integration specialists who will advise.

A final decision on your situation/appropriate levels of support is taken by a committee.

A selection of well-known support associations can be found here. You can also ask your mairie about groups in your area.