Five municipalities of Haute-Garonne have been experimenting since March 1 with a free visit by a postman to the homes of people over 60 years of age. The postman walks with a tablet and asks a series of questions to diagnose the degree of autonomy of the elderly person. This program called ICOPE, like the initials of “Integrated Care for Older People “whose translation would be” integrated care for the elderly “, is done in partnership with the Gerontopole of Toulouse andWorld Health Organization.
Eight-minute assessment
And it only takes a few minutes. Eight exactly. The assessment begins with an exercise in memory : three words to remember, and to return a little later during the evaluation. Then come questions related to sight, hearing, nutritional status and mood, followed by a little physical exercise… Sit down and get up from your chair four times in a row.
The elderly person visited is voluntary, and so is the postman. The assessment takes place every 4 months.
The goal: to detect early signs of aging to allow people over 60 to stay at home as long as possible.
It’s not that we need it, but it’s interesting, we are not immune “- Pierre, retired
Why the postman? Because it is a player of trust and proximity … present in the field. He acts there as a simple messenger.
We are lucky to be close to people, it’s a new facet of the job, I like it “- Isabelle, letter carrier
Telephone follow-up with a nurse
Once the assessment is completed, it isnurse who takes over, she calls the senior to indicate the need for possible support.
Me, she called me to tell me that I had missed showing my ears “- Pierre
This experiment concerns 3000 seniors in the towns of Plaisance-du-Touch, Muret, Auterive, Tournefeuille and Léguevin. The ultimate goal would be to visit 200 000 people in Occitanie.
– Pascale Danyel
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