Already a year since the first villagers have discovered their new place of life. At their side, caregivers, carers or educators, animate the daily. Story in the Chalosse district.
In the Village Landais Alzheimer, each district - Chalosse, Atlantic Coast, Bas-Armagnac and Haute Lande - consists of four homes that can each accommodate 7 to 8 inhabitants. There are spacious rooms for everyone's privacy, and common areas (kitchen, dining room, living room) where everyone is free to come and go, whatever the time. That morning in house number 14 some residents are still in bed or getting ready while others went to get the midday melon at the Village grocery store with Sandra Legrand, their caregiver.
Respect the way of life
"We learn to live at their own pace, we let them sleep when they want, and we respect their lifestyle while accompanying them in all daily activities, from preparing meals to ironing", testifies this former employee of a Alzheimer's closed unit: “The work here is very different, that's what attracted me, the care is much more human. In my previous occupation I had to execute 14 toilets in one morning without having time to talk to people. I ended up hating my job. Here, everything is more serene for us as caregivers and for them too. They suffer less anguish and nervousness.
She's interrupted by a resident who shouts at her as they approached: “But how beautiful you are!"
"Do you want me to go with you for a nap?", Sandra offers.
"Yes, Yes !"
"Let's go!"
2 caregivers teams
In this extraordinary Village, two "homemakers" live with the residents all day long for periods of 11 consecutive hours, for a month and a half in the same household for better contact. At night -when everything is quieter even if it remains very active for some- they are two per neighborhood. Caregivers, educators, medico-psychological assistants (AMP) or helpers ... the complementarity of profiles is the strength of the support in this innovative structure closer to the needs of its inhabitants.
"We know them better, so we can take better care of them and give them little joys, like with this lady who loves the ocean to whom I put music from this universe to appease her", explains Sandra Legrand, in front of the photos of the carnival workshops taken a few weeks earlier.
In the nearby house number 15, Audric Bogard, educational and social support (AES) who worked beforehand in helping disabled people, also estimates that "to stay more than a month in the same house allows better stability for all. With my work partner who is a medico-psychological aid, we complement each other well with our ways of seeing and we learn from each other ", he continues, washing the pots." Yes, it is sometimes necessary redo the dishes done by the villagers, we go back discreetly so as not to offend them but the goal is that they continue to do as much as possible, to involve them, accordingly to what they like or liked to do and what they are still able to do ”.
This noon, like every noon, grandmothers with a degenerative disease set the table and helped prepare lunch, as they would have done at home. "We added a little crème fraîche and curry to the roast vichy pork and carrots" which arrived precooked from adjoining professional kitchens, specifies Audric Bogard.
Caring in benevolence
In the dining room, in front of old postcards from the Landes framed on the wall, it is 2:30 p.m. and the meal just ends for one of the residents while others are already napping. The opportunity for a dialogue with the attending physician on what could please this patient at the end of her life. Shedoes not eat much, even if the homemade smoothie the day before was a success. "We are fortunate to be able to talk about care but above all about "taking care ", assures Florianne Laville, former coordinating doctor in nursing homes who now follows 37 villagers.
Francine arrives and her easy pound cake recipe: "you will need 3 eggs, 150g of sugar, 150g of vanilla ...". "This lady was a math teacher, she likes numbers a lot, we measure the doses, we cook, we laugh together, we live special moments", tells Sylvie, medico-psychological aid (AMP) and help with gerontology care (ASG). She displays the shopping list with basic items to note or check off to avoid failures to those who have difficulty holding a pen.
“The concept of the Village about benevolence, good treatment and dignity, keeps its promises. Everyone is at their own pace, it's good for them and for us. People live like at home, some help us to fold the laundry, to take care of everything, we also have time for a simple discussion, explains Josée Dufourcq, ASG; the only downside is the postponement of the arrival of volunteers ”. Due to the Covid crisis, the volunteers who are an integral part of the project have not been able to come since last November. They have only returned to the establishment since the beginning of June to further develop exchanges and social ties with the inhabitants.
Bikes, bowling, gym, scrabble, singing
Despite their absence, there was no lack of entertainment in the Village. The 88 housekeepers, the 4 animators or even the occupational therapist, the psychomotor therapist, the art therapist..., all participate in making the daily life of the Villagers lively, whether in the households with painting workshops, singing, manufacture of banners for the neighbors' party, or in the shared areas of the Bastide (entertainment room, brasserie, media library, fitness room).
At house 13, while Jean goes to get his cap to dress to go out, Jacques also warms up his muscles by raising his leg before going to class. Marthe Chanard accompanies them in the aisles to the main square: "We try to ask them to do things but in the end, I only bring those who want", explains this nursing assistant, just out of the hospital school. "I stay here!", says a lady who has just released her old songbook to have a good musical time with Yolande Gonzalez, another caregiver.
While people sing in the household, the games are linked all afternoon in the activity room where Nathalie Cazalis offers belote, scrabble and triomino that day.
“I want to play golf! », asks a granny.
“Sorry, we don't have that yet!,” replies the host with a smile.
