They testify
- Daphne Kasprzakdirector of development of the Askoria trainer, at the origin of the Master 2 level certificate “Advisor of old age”
- Laura Candas37 years old, creator and director of the company Bulle d’autonomie
- Constance Wibleco-director of Autonomia, a new subsidiary of the Oui Care group
The “old age”: what are we talking about?
“Old age” has no official definition. It’s a euphemism of propriety of which the French language has the genius. In other words, “old age” serves to tone down an unpleasant idea, that of referring to the very old, who are susceptible to disease and dependency (or health difficulties and loss of autonomy, if circumlocutions are preferred). The “old age” does not begin at a specific age but, say, around 70 years old.
The 21st century will be one of old age and dependency. Everything predestines France for this scenario: the French are staying alive longer and longer* and intend to gain autonomy while staying at home. A whole ecosystem is developing and new professions are emerging to deal with issues related to this ageing.
Is the profession of “elderly counselor” really that new?
This is the case of ” old age advisor » for which a dedicated training was launched by the trainer Askoria in Rennes and Le Mans. This one-year course is accessible to adults looking for a socially useful job. These professionals are going to be a strong link in the demographic transition.
Daphne Kasprzak
This profession existed before but under other names and with a different perimeter. “These “transversal animation” positions were called “course guide” or “mission manager”. The sector was already looking for a lot of them, but there was a lack of professionals capable of taking charge of prevention in all its dimensions”says Daphné Kasprzak, director of development for the Askoria trainer, the origin of the Master 2 level certificate “Advisor for seniors”.
But things are changing. Because the French, the old ones like their family, want to anticipate their last part of life by preparing it as well as possible in order to remain independent as long as possible. This profession of old-age counselor responds to these new needs. But this requires new skills.
What does an old-age counselor bring?
Society needs the fresh and distanced view of the old age adviser, capable of seeking appropriate solutions so that the elderly can live at home, take care of themselves, style their hair, have fun, cultivate themselves.
Laura Candas
I work as much for the elderly as for caregivers who are rarely taken into consideration.
“I offer personal services, specializing in the coordination of home services, says Laura Candas, 37, who has just launched the Bulle d’autonomie company in Rennes. I make it possible to preserve the quality of life of our elders. I also make life easier for “family caregivers”. This materializes by making appointments for all the needs of life: finding health professionals, managing administrative problems, psychological aid. »
Who will finance these new expenditures?
Advice for old age is a sector of the future whose needs will be increasingly important. But everything is, today to build and the question of the coverage of the services of these old age advisers remains problematic.
Constance Wible
“The financing of these advisers is, today, provided by the families and the formerspecifies Constance Wiblé, co-director of Autonomia, a new subsidiary of the Oui Care group, whose idea is to offer a real alternative to the Ehpad thanks to senior advisors. And like all new services, it will all be funded, initially, by those who can afford it. But we are in contact with the departmental councils, the national old-age insurance fund, the mutual insurance companies to integrate the services of our old-age advisers into their contracts. We then hope that this service will be democratized to offer to live and not to survive when you are old ». Others also imagine making employers pay via aid for helping families.
What specific skills does this diploma develop?
The “advisor in old age” certificate makes it possible to acquire complex skills to be reconciled in France: those of “care” and business.
“The course meets our needscomments Constance Wiblé, at the origin of the Autonomia network, experts in the comprehensive care of old age at home. It allows to acquire socio-psychological knowledge related to the questions of aging and death with skills of management and piloting of a profit center, while developing the learning of the management of a B to B network. The secret of a good practice is to have available a network of excellent professionals working with the elderly ». Finally, the course also develops essential commercial skills to develop your business. It is a training therefore trying to reconcile psychology, care, trade and profitability.
Where do the class of 2022 students come from?
The 12 students in the class of 2022 come from many backgrounds. Most of them are executives, one third from the lucrative private sector. They were previously department heads in mass distribution, key account managers. They are in total transformation. The remaining two-thirds come from the management of Ehpad[DPS1] .
Who can register?
Candidates sought must have:
1/ a level 6 training (bachelor or Master 1) whatever the sector.
2/ a level 5 diploma (Bac +2) with two years of experience in management or coordination of human services
3/ no diploma but with [DPS2] at least ten years of professional practice in the sectors of personal services, health and/or medico-social having exercised in missions of management or coordination of personal services.
How many “elderly advisers” would be needed in France?
The “seniorization” of society should create a huge source of high-level employment. That being said, the question is delicate. The Autonomia company estimates that it will take between 1.5 and 2 old age advisers per employment area of 200,000 inhabitants. Which would imply, for a population of 65 million inhabitants, the creation of more than 300 jobs in France.
Is the old-age counselor salaried or self-employed?
Both statuses are possible.
When he is employed, he can work for:
- an association of services for seniors living at home
- a senior residence
- a medical, rehabilitation or local authority center
- a company that wishes to support the preparation for retirement of its seniors or support caregivers.
What are the possible salaries for these senior advisors?
“As it’s a new and unfamiliar job, salaries are very fluctuating,” explains Laura Candas, who has just launched her “Bubble of Autonomy” business. I’m hiring right now, she adds. As I am starting out, the salary for a coordinator will be 25,000 euros gross per year. But I will increase it to 30,000 euros gross per year fairly quickly”. For the trainer Askoria, the exit salaries of his graduates will be around 25,000 euros gross. “It’s more with us, continues Constance Wiblé, co-director of Autonomia. Within 3 years, we will recruit some 150 elderly advisers for salaries of 30,000 euros gross fixed, 10,000 variable and a company car”. The first offices of Autonomia senior advisors have opened in Arcachon, Le Havre, Le Mans and La Baule. Finally, a freelancer should be able to afford around 40,000 euros per year depending on the work done. Still, those who start will also experience complaints. A young leader, in start-up mode, confides that she is paid, in the launch phase, 800 euros per month.
Who are the major recruiters in this sector?
“A graduate who combines the skills that we are going to deliver to them (project management, knowledge of older people, network facilitation) finds work very quickly. He is the one who chooses his employer,” asks Daphné Kasprzak, from Askoria.
The future employers of these old age advisers can be:
- personal service employers
- associations managing establishments, whether they are associations or not, but also the entire hospital sector.
- companies, including the Ouicare group which co-produces this certificate and hires.
- Possibility also to start a business.
How much does this certificate cost?
It costs 8,500 euros and will be financeable, at the beginning of 2023, via the Personal Training Account. Today, the first trainees finance from their personal funds and from the financing of their company.
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