Soaring costs in nursing homes demand extensive changes – industry associations advocate for reformation of nursing home systems

Dortmund Advocates for Comprehensive Nursing Care Reform

Tim Hammerbacher, the business manager of the Association of Free Welfare Services in Dortmund, has called for a comprehensive reform of the city's nursing care system. The reform, currently being processed by a federal-state commission, is expected to bring about changes aimed at reducing bureaucracy, promoting cross-sector quarter care, and focusing on prevention.

Hammerbacher proposes expanding day or short-term offers and promoting ambulant-integrated living forms as alternatives to expensive new construction. He suggests prevention and advice, coordination with free carriers, and selective involvement of associations in the process.

The cost of personal contribution in the nursing care system consists of three parts: accommodation and catering (€1,276 per month), investment costs (€636), and the equipment-uniform personal contribution (EEE) (€1,782). Subsidies for the EEE were increased at the beginning of the year, with a 10% increase in the first year and a 5% increase in the following years. The longer the stay in the home, the higher the subsidy that the nursing insurance funds cover for the EEE, with subsidies increasing from 15% in the first year to 75% from the fourth year onwards.

Hammerbacher warns of the risk of investment costs being passed on to residents if new buildings are created without subsidies. He advises the city to only create new places with investment subsidies, rent and operating subsidies, or cost-reducing concepts.

Short-term relief measures, such as the assumption of additional wage costs, are also being considered as part of the reform. The Association of Statutory Health Insurers (vdek) emphasizes that the federal government and the state of NRW should finance non-insurance benefits to relieve the care system's financial burden, but no specific timeframe for such commissioning is provided.

Meanwhile, the Städtische Seniorenheim Dortmund gGmbH plans to expand its services, including establishing a Dementia Competence Center and expanding ambulatory services. However, no exact dates for these extensions have been given, only that they are future plans.

The associations are pushing for a reform to significantly reduce own contributions and make them more predictable for those affected. They also demand faster recognition of foreign professional qualifications and expansion of training in the care sector to counteract the shortage of skilled workers.

As the reform process continues, Dortmund and its associated organisations remain committed to finding solutions that prioritise prevention, reduce costs, and improve the quality of life for those in need of nursing care.

Soaring costs in nursing homes demand extensive changes – industry associations advocate for reformation of nursing home systems