title: Home Help for Alzheimer’s: role of life assistant, choosing and financing professionals
description: Comprehensive guide to home help for Alzheimer’s: role of life assistant, services offered, difference between life assistant and caregiver, choosing the right professional, building trust, cost of APA funding and maintaining quality at home.
keywords: home help for Alzheimer’s, life assistant, services, choosing, trust, funding, APA, maintaining home, professionals
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Alzheimer’s, home help, life assistant, services, choosing, trust, funding, APA, maintaining home
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Reading time: 30 minutes
"I can’t do everything alone." "Dad refuses to let a stranger into his home." "How to choose a reliable helper?" "Is it expensive?" "What are the differences between a life assistant and a caregiver?" "How to build trust?"
Professional home help is often the missing link that allows you to keep your loved one with Alzheimer’s at home while preserving your own health. However, accepting that an outsider enters the intimacy of the home, touches your parent, manages sometimes delicate care, generates anxiety, distrust, and practical questions. Yet, a competent and caring home helper can radically transform daily life.
This guide explains the role of home help, helps you choose the right professional, and gives you the keys to establish a trusting relationship that will benefit everyone.
Table of contents
1. The different professionals
2. The role of the life assistant
The different professionals {#professionnels}
Social life assistant (AVS)
Diploma
DEAVS (State Diploma for Social Life Assistant) or Professional Title for Dependency Life Assistant.
Training
9-12 months.
Role
Help with daily activities
- Getting up, going to bed
- Washing (excluding nursing care)
- Dressing
- Meals (preparation, assistance with eating)
- Shopping, cleaning, laundry
- Outings, walks
- Leisure activities
- Cognitive stimulation (games, conversation)
- Complete washing
- Changes (incontinence)
- Pressure sore prevention
- Assistance with medication (supervision)
- Temperature, blood pressure
- Observation of signs (pain, infection)
- Communication with nurse, doctor
- Transfers (bed/chair)
- Fall prevention
- Injections, infusions
- Dressings
- Blood tests
- Medication supervision
- Health condition monitoring
Accompaniment :
Presence, supervision.
No medical care: No injections, dressings (unless additional training).
Caregiver
Diploma
DEAS (State Diploma for Caregiver).
Training
10 months (more medical).
Role
Hygiene, comfort care
Health condition monitoring :
Assistance with mobility :
Often: Intervenes via SSIAD (Home Nursing Care Service).
Difference between AVS / Caregiver
Life assistant
Daily activities, social accompaniment.
Caregiver
Body care, medical supervision.
Complementary
Sometimes both (daily AVS, caregiver for specific care).
Nurse (IDEL)
Diploma
State Registered Nurse (3 years).
Role
Medical care
Medical prescription: Necessary.
Intervention: Occasional (specific care) or regular (SSIAD).
SSIAD
Home Nursing Care Service
Team
Nurses, caregivers.
Coordination
Doctor, coordinating nurse.
On prescription
Attending physician.
Advantages: Stable team, coordinated care.
The role of the life assistant {#role}
Daily activities
1. Getting up, going to bed
Help
Getting out of bed, going to bed.
Encouragement
Independence (involves participation).
Safety
Fall prevention.
2. Washing
Types
Complete washing
Whole body (if loss of independence).
Partial washing
Difficult areas (back, feet).
Shower assistance
Supervision (safety).
Respect for modesty: Essential.
3. Dressing
Help
Choosing clothes, putting them on.
Adaptation
Simple clothing (Velcro, elastic).
Participation
Person does what they can.
4. Meals
Preparation
Cooking meals (according to skills).
Assistance with eating
If necessary (cutting, bringing to mouth).
Monitoring
Dysphagia (prevention of choking).
Hydration
Offer to drink regularly.
5. Home maintenance
Cleaning
Vacuuming, dusting.
Laundry
Washing, ironing.
Shopping
Accompanies or does alone.
Social accompaniment
1. Outings
Walks
Park, neighborhood.
Shopping
Supermarket (maintaining social ties).
Appointments
Doctor, hairdresser (accompaniment).
2. Activities
Games: Cards, puzzles, EDITH.
Reading
Newspapers, books.
Conversation
Cognitive stimulation, listening.
Music
Listening, singing.
3. Stimulation
Memory
Sharing memories, looking at photos.
Orientation
Reminding day, date.
Manual activities
Painting, gardening.
Monitoring
Observe
General condition
Tired, in pain?
Nutrition
Eating enough?
Hydration
Drinking?
Behavior: Agitation, apathy, changes?
Communication: Inform family, doctor (if concerned).
Respite for caregivers
Presence: Frees you (shopping, appointments, rest).
Relief: Continues care, supervision (peace of mind).
Choosing the right professional {#choisir}
Provider vs Direct Employment
1. Service provider
Structure
Association, personal services company.
Manages
Recruitment, replacement, administrative management.
You
Pay the structure (it pays the assistant).
Advantages
Disadvantages:
2. Direct employment (mutual agreement)
You
Employer (recruit, pay directly).
Employment contract
You draft.
Management
Salary, leave, declarations (CESU, Urssaf).
Advantages
Disadvantages:
Mandatary: Intermediary (helps with management but not employer).
Selection criteria
1. Training, experience
Diploma
DEAVS or equivalent.
Experience with Alzheimer’s
Essential (management of behavioral issues).
References
Ask for (previous employers).
2. Human qualities
Patience
Crucial (repetitions, slowness).
Kindness
Gentleness, respect.
Communication
Clear, appropriate.
Reliability
Punctuality, seriousness.
3. Compatibility
Personality
Gets along with your loved one? (feeling).
Language
Speaks good French (understanding).
Availability
Schedules match?
4. Interview
Questions to ask:
Meet your loved one: Observe interaction (essential).
Where to find?
Structures:
ADMR (Home Help in Rural Areas): Association.
Private companies: O2, Ouihelp, others.
CCAS (Community Social Action Center): Town hall.
Classified ads: Leboncoin, job sites (direct employment).
Word of mouth: Recommendations (caregivers, doctor).
Building trust {#confiance}
First meeting
Introduction:
You: Introduce the assistant to your loved one.
"Mom, I’d like you to meet [First Name]. She will come to help you with [activities]."
Assistant
Smiling, gentle tone, introduces herself.
You stay
First times (reassuring).
Simple activity
Coffee together, conversation (building trust).
Gradual adaptation
First interventions
Short
1-2 hours (habituation).
Easy activities
Coffee, walk (no washing immediately).
You present
Or loved one (safety).
Increase: Gradually duration, intimate activities.
Routine
Regularity
Same days, times
Reassuring routine.
Same assistant
Stability (no frequent changes).
Rituals
Arrival (coffee), usual activity (creates reference points).
Communication with the assistant
You
Inform
Habits of your loved one (meal preferences, schedules, what they like/dislike).
Sheet
Written (to hand over): Routine, tastes, allergies, behavioral issues.
Communication notebook
Daily notes (how did it go? Incidents? Meals eaten?).
Phone
Reachable (in case of emergency, question).
Assistant
Listening
Respects your instructions.
Transparency
Informs if difficulties, questions.
Kindness: Towards you too (exhausted caregiver).
Trust of your loved one
Resistance
Common
"I don’t want a stranger in my home!"
Strategies
Explain
"She’s here to help me, to help you."
Presence
You (at the beginning).
Time
Adaptation = Weeks (patience).
Pleasurable activities
Assistant proposes (music, games): Creates a positive bond.
Routine
After a few times, habit (resistance decreases).
Cost and funding {#cout}
Rates
Provider
20-30€/hour (varies by region, structure).
Direct employment
12-18€/hour (net + charges).
Example
2h/day, 5 days/week = 600-1200€/month.
APA (Personalized Autonomy Allowance)
Main aid
Principle
Funds home maintenance services (including home help).
Amount
According to GIR (dependency level), resources.
GIR 1-2 (severe dependency): Up to 1700€/month.
GIR 3-4 (moderate): 800-1400€/month.
Assistance plan
Evaluation (medical-social team) determines needs, hours.
Payment
Directly to the service provider or to you (reimbursement for direct employment).
Remaining charge
According to resources (proportional participation).
Application
Departmental Council (file + home evaluation).
Other aids
PCH (Disability Compensation Benefit):
If recognized disability (MDPH): Alternative to APA.
Pension funds
Occasional aids
According to funds (Carsat, etc.).
Mutuals
Some partially reimburse.
Tax credit
50% of expenses: Personal services (direct employment or approved provider).
Ceiling: 12,000-20,000€/year (depending on situation).
CESU (Universal Service Employment Check)
Direct employment
Simplifies
Social declarations (Urssaf).
Pre-financed CESU
Sometimes (employer, company committee).
Managing difficulties {#difficultes}
Refusal of care
Your loved one refuses
Assistant
"No, I don’t want to!"
Strategies
Do not force
Respect (if possible, postpone).
Explain
"I’m going to help you be clean, feel good."
Distraction
Talk about something else during care.
Your presence
Reassures (at the beginning).
Trust relationship
Over time, resistance decreases.
Accusations
Imaginary thefts
Common
"She stole my money!"
Reaction
Do not defend the assistant in front of your loved one (worsens).
Search together
"Let’s take a look."
Reassure
Your loved one (validate emotion).
Discussion with the assistant
Private (explain symptom of illness, not personal attack).
Prevention
Remove valuable items (avoids accusations).
Turnover
Frequent changes
Problem
Your loved one loses reference points (constant adaptation).
Solutions
Stable structure
Choose (low turnover).
Retention: Fair salary, respect, recognition (if direct employment).
Pairing: Two assistants alternate (continuity if absent).
Abuse
Signs
Physical
Bruises, marks.
Behavioral
Fear, withdrawal, refusal to see the assistant.
Neglect
Degraded hygiene, malnutrition.
Financial
Money disappears.
Action
Report
Structure (if provider), police (if serious).
Remove
Assistant immediately (safety priority).
Testimony: Note facts, dates (evidence).
Support: Associations (Alma - Elder Abuse).
Testimonials
Claire, caregiver for her mother
"The assistant comes 2 hours in the morning, 2 hours in the evening (5 days/week). Helps Mom get up, wash, and eat. I work peacefully. APA funds 80% (remaining 200€/month). Without her, it would be impossible to continue. The assistant = Pillar of home maintenance."
Marc, son of his father
"Dad refused at first ('No need for help!'). The assistant is patient, gentle. Offered coffee, conversation. After 2 weeks, he accepted. Now, he is happy to see her. Trust relationship = Time, kindness."
Sophie, caregiver for her husband
"Direct employment (mutual agreement). Heavy management (salary, leave), but less expensive, chose the assistant. Wonderful woman, experience with Alzheimer’s. My husband appreciates her. Time investment (administrative), but direct relationship, quality."
Conclusion: The link that holds everything together
Professional home help is not an intrusion, it is support. Between your tired hands and the impossible daily life, it slips in its skills, patience, and kindness. Thanks to her, your loved one stays at home, you stay standing, and maintaining home becomes possible. The life assistant is the invisible link that holds the entire support chain together.
The keys to successful home help:
1. ✅ Choose the right professional (Alzheimer’s training, human qualities)
2. ✅ Build trust (gradual adaptation, routine)
3. ✅ Communication (communication notebook, transparency)
4. ✅ Funding (APA, aids)
5. ✅ Respect dignity (your loved one, assistant)
6. ✅ Manage difficulties (patience, dialogue)
7. ✅ Respite for you (essential)
You are not alone. Our Alzheimer’s training discusses all solutions. EDITH usable with the assistant. Free guide: Complete resources.
DYNSEO resources to support you:
The day the assistant crosses the threshold, you are afraid. Afraid that she won’t understand, won’t respect, won’t be up to the task. But when you see her holding your loved one’s hand gently, speaking to them with patience, making them laugh despite everything, you understand: She is not a stranger. She is the ally that allows you to continue. And thanks to her, together, you carry the weight that has become too heavy for your shoulders alone.
