Care homes in France: Is living with a host family an alternative?

Reader question: Can living with a host family be an alternative to a retirement home? How would this work?

Yes, family hosting, known as accueil familial, is possible and can apply to older or disabled people, although not if people require constant care.

It is not for staying with your own family.

The person hosted pays the host family and a contract is signed between the two, clarifying the conditions.

Payment (including a set €26.21 per day, plus additional expenses) may be made by the hosted person via a specific version of the Cesu system for employing at home, called the Cesu accueil familial.

The arrangement can be temporary or permanent and full or part-time. A person wishing to become an accueillant familial (host), must apply for approval, called an agrément, from their departmental council.

If you are looking to be hosted, you can obtain a list of available host families in your area from the council. Depending on means, the hosted person may also obtain certain benefits to help pay for the service, including allocation personnalisée d’autonomie and aide sociale d’hébergement.

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