Care and Support Week: the essential roles that bring everyday care to life

To mark Care and Support Roles Week, organised by France Travail from 30 March to 6 April 2026, Clariane headed out to meet the people who help provide quality care for residents and patients each and every day. Working alongside care professionals, people in many other roles – some of which are less visible – make key contributions to patients’ and residents’ well-being and quality of life within our facilities. A shared belief unites us all: we are all caregivers.

In our facilities, care is based on collective effort. While medical and paramedical procedures are an essential component, they alone are not sufficient to ensure residents’ and patients’ wellbeing.

Care also includes the level of attention paid to the living environment, the sense of welcoming, safety and everyday comfort. Hospitality and restaurant teams, technical teams, laundry teams, reception teams and administrative teams – there are so many professionals who contribute each and every day to a safe, comfortable and warm environment.

All of these professions working together towards the same goal is what enables us to provide comprehensive, high-quality support.

Jean-Philippe, Technical Manager

A technical manager with more than ten years’ experience at Clariane, Jean-Philippe holds a key role at Korian Lo Solelh, in Béziers. After a career in sales, he decided to pursue a manual role, guided by his taste for the hands-on and the role’s wide-ranging responsibilities.

In the field, no two days are the same. From ensuring personal safety to checking equipment works correctly and providing a high-quality living environment, Jean-Philippe takes care of every detail. Whether it’s maintenance, monitoring installations, renovation work, or optimising energy consumption, he’s involved at all levels to ensure a safe, functional environment in this demanding and versatile profession, where rigour and a sense of initiative make all the difference.

Jean-Philippe plays a leading role in risk prevention, particularly in terms of fire safety, checking equipment, organising exercises, raising teams’ awareness and coordinating service providers’ work.

He also helps to make Korian Lo Solelh a welcoming and pleasant space. Refreshing a room before a resident arrives, designing outdoor amenities and greening spaces are just some of the practical actions that contribute to everyone’s well-being on a daily basis.

It’s like being at home, but even more so – every detail counts to make sure residents feel comfortable.”

Nathalie, receptionist and secretary

The first face you see when you arrive at Korian Bords de la Marque, in Forest-sur-Marque, Nathalie is a key figure for residents, their loved ones and their families. A receptionist, secretary and invoicing manager all at once, she acts as an essential interface, guiding, informing and supporting people on a daily basis.

In her daily work, she answers queries, facilitates administrative processes and strives to make information clear and accessible, especially when residents arrive, a time often loaded with emotions. She welcomes, explains and reassures – always with a smile on her face. All of these tasks require listening, a sense of service and the ability to adapt.

Nathalie is strongly committed to life within the facility and creates memorable moments for residents. From community breakfasts to outdoor walks with volunteers, the events she organises help make the facility an open, welcoming place to live.

It’s a deeply human role, which she embodies on a daily basis with boundless generosity rooted in her career and the bond she maintains with the elderly residents.

I’m here to listen, help and reassure, always with a kind word. I welcome residents and families just like I’d want to be welcomed so they feel at home.”

Christelle, laundry supervisor

Having clean, neatly folded laundry available at all times is an everyday essential, which is why laundry supervisors are crucial to the smooth running of every facility.

Before joining Korian Villa du Chêne d’Or, in Bonchamp-lès-Laval, Christelle worked as a seamstress, including for the army, then in dry cleaning. It’s a career that gave her a taste for a job well done and a real drive for quality.

Since the facility opened in 2012, she has been taking care of the residents’ laundry. Her day involves sorting laundry, operating washing machines, drying, ironing and folding, before distributing clean laundry to the rooms. She marks laundry when residents arrive, and she also takes care of laundry from the facility itself: tablecloths and napkins from the restaurant and staff uniforms. Sheets are handled by an outsourced company, while the night shifts carry out some tasks (towels, evening tablecloths, laundry related to premises maintenance, etc.).

Her work requires rigour and organisation, especially in terms of hygiene protocols.

Over time, she has developed a close relationship with the residents. Her laundry room is located on the ground floor of the facility, so she has plenty of visitors and interactions. Some say a few words, while others stop to talk a while. And when she goes on holiday, her absence never goes unnoticed: “Oh, it won’t be the same without you”, they tell her. 
 

I do the laundry just like I would for myself. What matters is doing quality work and making sure residents are satisfied.”

Cindy, Hospitality Assistant and Waitress

Cindy joined Korian Les Trois Rives in Gamaches as a hospitality assistant in 2012 and has developed her responsibilities since then. She now occupies a twin role as a hospitality assistant and waitress.

Her day begins with distributing in-room breakfasts. It’s a key moment, setting up the meal, supporting and talking with residents at the start of the day. “You know right away how they're doing.”

Then her duties continue with washing up and preparing and serving lunch in the restaurant. Her knowledge of residents makes all the difference – she anticipates their tastes, adapting and customising meals.

In the afternoon, she moves on to maintaining common areas in accordance with biological cleaning protocols, then prepares snacks and organises the following day. She also helps set up the restaurant during events or key occasions at the facility, including gourmet receptions, birthdays, entertainment and community occasions, contributing  to a warm, welcoming environment.

Throughout the day, she observes, adjusts and adapts, using her keen knowledge of the residents to guide her approaches and her actions.

Her role is fast-paced and wide-ranging. Nothing is set in stone. It’s important to know how to order tasks, anticipate needs, help teams out – the goal is always to do the right thing and to be there for residents. 

It was my birthday yesterday, and residents wished me a happy birthday… it was very nice, it’s gratifying. We create a real bond with them.”

Fahida, Administrative Officer

In any facility, working at reception is a crucial role. At Korian Jardins de Serena, in Champcueil, Fahida’s professionalism, smile and kindness make all the difference.

At reception and on the phone, she receives requests, guides visitors and callers and ensures interactions go smoothly. Interacting with families, residents, visitors and external providers, every call and visit brings a different situation. It’s important to be able to quickly understand, respond appropriately and direct them to the right person.

She also monitors admissions files. Checking and filling out information, supporting residents and their loved ones with a range of processes, and entering and updating information are all crucial tasks that ensure that when residents arrive, everything goes as smoothly as possible.

Being an administrative officer in a long-term care nursing home also means listening and knowing how to adapt to each situation. Working with residents and their families on a daily basis, Fahida helps to create a reassuring atmosphere and facilitate each stage of their journey. 

We’re in direct contact with residents and their families, so you have to constantly pay attention, but above all, you have to listen. We provide support, we provide reassurance, we’re there for them – that’s part of what care is about.”