[Family ties and maintenance obligation]. / Le lien familial et l'obligation alimentaire.

Maintenance obligation is a question frequently addressed in gerontology as an elderly person prepares to enter an institution. Its implementation is a source of conflict within families as well as with professionals involved in these situations. This administrative process, generally long and complex, can shatter family ties and lengthen the time required to obtain support thereby delaying admission to the institution. To tackle these issues, professionals from the Paris Saint-Joseph hospital group have set up meetings bringing together social services, medical services and management representatives. These multi-disciplinary consultations have highlighted the need for management to work with the families of hospitalised patients to remind them of the maintenance obligation in a framework of mediation.