Petits frères des pauvres volunteers help isolated seniors during French heatwave

Volunteer teams from the charity Petits frères des pauvres are visiting elderly people living alone in France to combat growing social isolation, which a September 2025 barometer says now affects 750,000 seniors – a 150 % rise over the past decade. The volunteers, including Stanislas Melka and his wife Gisèle, make three home visits each week, bring fans and companionship, and describe the relationships as friendships that help seniors cope with the summer heat.

The 2024‑2025 heatwave has intensified the problem. Public health data show nearly 6,000 excess deaths nationwide, two‑thirds of them among people aged 75 and older, and a near‑doubling of deaths at home during the peak of the June heat. Volunteers report that many older adults no longer feel thirst, increasing the risk of dehydration. Their regular visits aim to provide both practical assistance and emotional support to those whose families are away on holiday or otherwise unavailable.