[Prevention of dependence]

The prevention of the loss of functional independence is a significant concern in the field of the geriatrics. If it is unfortunately not possible to prevent ageing, but impairments related to it appear very gradually and make it possible to the individual to be accustomed to them. The installation of a prevention supposes that the subject is implied in the process and that it has the possibility of being active there, to decide the priorities of them, to adapt the mechanism of it. Generally, any professional intervention which ignores this procedure is dedicated to the failure. In this article, it will be refer to a coherent conceptual framework compared to functional independence. The conditions necessary so that a prevention is effective will be proposed as well as the presentation of a mode of approach. Lastly, a reflexion will be suggested as for the place of the professionals in the institutions and in the residence of the patient. Emphasis will be laid on the methodology of setting in situation developed by the ergotherapists.