France's senior care sector pivots from EHPADs to home‑based solutions

France’s ageing population is turning senior care into a major market, projected at more than €130 billion by 2030. Traditional medicalised EHPADs are under financial strain – over 60 % are in deficit – and have been tarnished by scandals such as the 2022 Orpea case. The sector faces a need for roughly 130,000 additional places and 60,000 new professionals by 2030.

In response, the industry is shifting toward home‑based services and technology. Large groups such as Crédit Agricole and specialised firms like Ouihelp are expanding health‑and‑assistance offers, while startups and platforms (e.g., Seniorizon, Zenior) provide non‑medical senior residences and digital tools such as tele‑assistance, fall‑detection sensors and voice assistants. These solutions aim to preserve autonomy for seniors still able to manage daily life (GIR 5) while lowering costs compared with fully medicalised care.

The emerging “SilverTech” model relies on subscription‑based services, attracting investors and positioning home‑care as a more scalable and politically palatable alternative to expanding the traditional EHPAD system.