Type of home: Independence is crucial
Regardless of the various designations – from retirement home to senior citizens’ residence – there are only three types of home under the Home Act: Retirement home, old people’s home and nursing home (= care home). They differ in the degree of independence that the residents have.
Retirement home
Retirement home
In a retirement home there are rooms or small apartments for the residents, which can be furnished with their own furniture. Housekeeping is taken care of by the staff. Residents of nursing homes can usually manage without assistance when they move in. However, staff is available to provide basic care as needed.
Nursing home
Outpatient or home care?
Most elderly people do not move to a home until their health has deteriorated to the point that they can no longer live at home despite outpatient care. Most facilities have all three (residential, nursing home), so seniors don’t have to move when their health deteriorates. In fact, the principle now applies: care is provided where people live.
In 2019, there were more than 4.1 million people in need of long-term care in Germany. With increasing age, the need for care naturally becomes more likely. A good 80 percent of those in need of care receive the care they need at home (outpatient). In most cases, relatives take over the care.
A total of more than 818,000 people in need of long-term care (19.8 percent) received permanent inpatient care in nursing homes.
Costs for nursing homes and homes for the elderly
For many pensioners, this means that they have to use up their entire pension and a large part of their assets for this purpose. The children may also have to contribute to covering the costs if their parents live in a retirement or senior citizens’ home.
