Socio-economic factors of the use of informal help among dependent elderly people in France: an analysis based on the SHARE survey[Facteurs socio-économiques du recours à l’aide informelle chez les personnes âgées dépendantes en France : une analyse à partir de l’enquête SHARE]

The aging of the French population raises major challenges regarding functional limitations and access to long-term care support. This study uses data from the SHARE survey to analyze the socioeconomic determinants of informal care use among older adults with functional impairments. Based on a sample of 13,129 individuals aged 60 and over, two logistic models were estimated to assess the influence of economic resources, educational attainment, household composition, and quality of life on two aspects of dependency: reliance on a relative and the ADLA index. Results indicate a significant correlation between economic hardship and functional dependency. Individuals with lower incomes are not only more likely to rely on informal care but are also more exposed to functional limitations. A robustness check using 2021 VQS data confirms these findings. The study concludes that dependency reflects a broader social inequality and calls for a reform of APA funding focused on individual needs, irrespective of local financial capacities. These findings highlight the urgent need for public policies aimed at preventing functional decline and reducing territorial disparities in aging conditions.