BERLIN / GERMANY
The support system for the elderly in Germany
Germany
Age Care
8 delegates
October 2021
From 5 to 8 October 2021, a delegation of eight managers of French institutions for the elderly travelled to Berlin to learn about the organisation of the German socio-medical scheme.
Long-term care insurance was created in Germany in 1995. It supports people with disabilities or loss of autonomy, regardless of age.
The Berlin State Senate is responsible for social policy in the German capital. 80% of Berlin's dependent people live at home. This is achieved by having a solid network of advice and information centres to support residents in their daily lives. There is also strong support for family carers, who can report the hours they work with their loved ones and be paid. Home care services are then in charge of the quality of the care and support provided. A carers' award is presented annually by the Land to acknowledge the effort of these people without whom home care would not be possible.
Social aspects of life for dependent people at home are not forgotten, thanks to a monthly fee of €125 which can be used for transport, various activities, and the promotion of neighbourly relations. Berliners can indeed get certified after a short 6-hour training to be able to offer activities to their neighbours, being compensated for their time/travel.
The French delegation had the opportunity to visit three flatshares and to discover the cluster housing model with the Generationen Wohnen agency. The flatshares are a solution halfway between home and residential care. The personal living spaces, furnished by the residents, are large, with a private bathroom and even a small kitchen. The shared spaces are favourable to socialisation and exchanges, sometimes facilitated by professionals. Care is provided as needed by the home's services.
The heads of the Dr. Harnisch Haus long-term care facility shared their challenges, like those encountered in France (difficulties in attracting staff, impacts of COVID, etc.). The French delegates valued their commitment to the quality of care for the frail elderly, as reinforced by the frequency of inspections and controls by the authorities (more than two per year). T
he elderly care home of the Lafim Diakonie Foundation, organised in households of 12 people, particularly appealed to the delegates.
The Berlin State Senate is responsible for social policy in the German capital. 80% of Berlin's dependent people live at home. This is achieved by having a solid network of advice and information centres to support residents in their daily lives. There is also strong support for family carers, who can report the hours they work with their loved ones and be paid. Home care services are then in charge of the quality of the care and support provided. A carers' award is presented annually by the Land to acknowledge the effort of these people without whom home care would not be possible.
Social aspects of life for dependent people at home are not forgotten, thanks to a monthly fee of €125 which can be used for transport, various activities, and the promotion of neighbourly relations. Berliners can indeed get certified after a short 6-hour training to be able to offer activities to their neighbours, being compensated for their time/travel.
The French delegation had the opportunity to visit three flatshares and to discover the cluster housing model with the Generationen Wohnen agency. The flatshares are a solution halfway between home and residential care. The personal living spaces, furnished by the residents, are large, with a private bathroom and even a small kitchen. The shared spaces are favourable to socialisation and exchanges, sometimes facilitated by professionals. Care is provided as needed by the home's services.
The heads of the Dr. Harnisch Haus long-term care facility shared their challenges, like those encountered in France (difficulties in attracting staff, impacts of COVID, etc.). The French delegates valued their commitment to the quality of care for the frail elderly, as reinforced by the frequency of inspections and controls by the authorities (more than two per year). T
he elderly care home of the Lafim Diakonie Foundation, organised in households of 12 people, particularly appealed to the delegates.
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