Inpatient care often unavoidable
Most people wish to live at home for as long as possible. However, there are situations in which care in a home (inpatient care) becomes unavoidable because comprehensive care is needed around the clock. This includes, for example, advanced dementia.
At the end of 2019, a total of 4.13 million people were dependent on care services. This means that the number of people in need of care in Germany has more than doubled since the turn of the millennium. According to forecasts by the Federal Statistical Office, this trend will continue in the future: experts expect around 4.53 million people in need of care in 2060. One reason for the increase is the growing number of older people in Germany.
Planning inpatient care at an early stage
Choosing the right nursing home
Homes that offer inpatient care are run and managed by different providers. It is important to compare the range and prices, but above all the quality of the various nursing homes.
Do not fill out an application for a place in a home after a single conversation with the care manager. Otherwise, you risk an elderly person having to spend his or her life in a home that does not meet his or her wishes or where the inpatient care may be inadequate.
Quality audit of nursing homes
As of fall 2019, there is a legally required method for measuring the quality of nursing homes. Those in need of care and their families should be able to use it to easily and reliably identify whether a home is good or bad.
This gives nursing homes and (potential) residents an overview of where the facility’s service could be improved for the benefit of residents. General information about the facility, such as room amenities or convenient location, is also taken into account in the assessment. The process is as follows:
- Subsequently, the facility is inspected in advance, with one day’s notice. The employees of the MD or PKV inspection service check whether the internal results correspond to the truth and hold discussions with residents and nursing staff.
If a home performs well, the audit of the facility takes place only every two years. If there is a suspicion of deficiencies in a nursing home, on the other hand, unannounced occasion audits are carried out.
Important criteria when choosing a nursing home
Depending on the underlying disease, different things are important when choosing a facility offering inpatient care. For dementia patients, for example, larger common rooms or protected “walking paths” where they can walk around are very advantageous. Ward kitchens, where dementia patients can help with baking or cooking, also provide a sense of security and challenge the patients.
Healthy mixture
Some residential care facilities occupy a unit with both dementia patients and the mentally healthy. This can be beneficial for both groups: The mentally healthy have a job to do; they can have a calming effect on those with dementia and give them a sense of security. However, some people also perceive the mental decline they witness in others as a threat, because it may be imminent for them themselves.
Costs for inpatient care
Once you have decided on a home, ask for a sample home contract. Read it at your leisure and ask if anything is unclear. Are the home costs broken down in detail? The nursing home fee is made up of three components: the costs of nursing care services, room and board, and investment costs that can be calculated separately.
- Care degree 2: 770 euro
- Care degree 3: 1262 Euro
- Care degree 4: 1775 Euro
- Care degree 5: 2005 Euro
People with care degree 1 receive a monthly allowance of 125 euros for inpatient care.
Persons in need of care or their relatives must also pay for the costs of meals, accommodation and investments.
