France faces rising senior falls and autonomy challenges

France is experiencing a significant increase in accidents among the elderly, with data from Santé publique France indicating that falls among individuals aged 65 and older resulted in 20,148 deaths in 2024. This averages to approximately 55 deaths per day. Between 2019 and 2024, deaths related to falls rose by 18%, while hospitalizations increased by 20.5%.

While over 80% of French citizens express a desire to age at home, housing adaptation efforts are lagging. According to the Agence nationale de l'habitat (Anah), only 36,700 homes were adapted through the MaPrimeAdapt' scheme in 2025, which is roughly half of the national target of 68,000 annual adaptations.

To support aging populations, the Allocation personnalisée d'autonomie (APA) provides financial assistance to individuals aged 60 and over experiencing loss of autonomy. Managed by departmental councils, the aid is determined by the AGGIR scale, which measures dependency levels from GIR 1 to 6. Eligibility is based on dependency levels (GIR 1 to 4) rather than income, and funds can be used for home help, technical aids, or teleassistance.