There are no specific financial support for elderly and/or handicapped persons, except AGEFIPH which applies strictly to the working-place. When it comes to the home, it is up to the individual to pay for the ICT-applications desired. The new law - Allocation Personnalisé d'Autonomie, APA (Personalised Contribution for Autonomy) that will go into effect January 1, 2002 does not mention or foresee direct financial support as ICT-applications. The situation is the same when it comes to carers and family carers. Even though it is a subject under discussion ("aide aux aidants"), the financial support available applies e.g. for access to day-care centres and does not apply to ICT-procurement.
There are a number of pressure groups in France who lobby in the political and official arena. The most prominent of these is the CFR, Confédération Française des Retraités, a recent merger of four organisations, with almost a million members. The groups contacted on this issue (e.g. CFR) state, that their action in this field is rather on the level of initiation into the use of computers and Internet for their members. Even though they say that they are active on many issues in the political corridors, ICT is not one of these issues.
Apart from the PAGSI-program launched by the government, which applies to all French citizens, no direct program or initiative is discussed or under implementation directly applicable to older or handicapped people or their carers. It should be stressed here, that the French notion of "citoyen" is very proper to France. All French are "citoyens" whether young or old. All have equal rights and duties. When it comes to age-groups, no special procedures are applied, except in the field of education (which will then apply primarily to the young as a group). The state will intervene only when a "citoyen" is unable to ensure himself a proper level of life, be it because of lack of financial means or because of ill health or a handicap. Old age as such is no handicap. This may explain the lack of initiatives directed especially towards old persons.
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