The Council of Europe has expressed serious concerns about the condition of elderly care facilities in France, particularly highlighting a lack of sufficient human and financial resources. These concerns come four years after the Orpea scandal, a major case involving alleged abuse and neglect in private nursing homes. In June, Michael O'Flaherty, the Council of Europe’s commissioner for human rights, visited several facilities and identified a range of ongoing issues. He noted that all stakeholders—ranging from staff to residents—describe the resources provided to nursing homes, known as Ehpad (Établissements d’Hébergement pour Personnes Âgées Dépendantes), as inadequate. This shortage has led to understaffing and high staff turnover, which in turn has worsened both working conditions for employees and living conditions for elderly residents. O'Flaherty also pointed out other critical problems, such as aging infrastructure, cramped living spaces, and a lack of adaptation to climate change in some facilities. These factors contribute to an overall environment that is less than ideal for elderly care. He called for several improvements, including better staff-to-resident ratios to ensure proper care, increased investment in recruitment and training for workers, and more frequent, unannounced inspections to monitor conditions and prevent abuse or neglect. In response to these concerns, the French government acknowledged that the elderly care sector still faces “numerous remaining difficulties.” The sector includes nearly 7,500 nursing homes and over 600,000 accommodation spaces, serving a large portion of the elderly population. Camille Galliard-Minier, the minister responsible for autonomy and people with disabilities, emphasized that resolving these issues will take time and cannot be achieved quickly. She noted that the government is working to address the challenges through long-term planning and investment. To improve the sector, the government has set a goal of recruiting an additional 50,000 professionals by 2030. This includes efforts to attract and retain more caregivers and support staff. Alongside this, nearly 4 billion euros has been allocated to increase salaries and improve working conditions for employees, while over 2 billion euros is designated for investments in infrastructure and facility upgrades. These financial commitments aim to enhance the quality of care and address the systemic issues that have been identified.