18.05.2022 Gabriele Strasser 9414

What relieves the burden on family caregivers?

People who care for relatives at home are often overburdened and suffer from health problems. At the same time, they do not make use of the available relief options. A study by the VdK social association sheds light on the reasons for this.

Into a retirement home in old age? Fewer and fewer people can imagine that. Currently, 80 percent (3.3 million) of the 4.1 million people in need of care are cared for by loved ones in their familiar surroundings. It is mostly women who provide care (72%).

But home care is often associated with overwork, as a study by the VdK social association shows.

According to an online survey of 56,000 people, every second carer is already of retirement age and no longer physically fit. 63 percent said they had physical complaints on a daily basis, 59 percent said they neglected their own health because of caring. 

The dilemma: too little use is made of support

There are now various respite services that are specifically designed for people who provide care at home. These include day and night care, short-term care and respite care. However, although the majority of respondents would like more of these services, 62 to 93 percent of the available services are not used by them. 

According to the survey, the reasons for this are: 

• Too little capacity, for example for day care and short-term care places
• High co-payments for care services, day care, respite care and short-term care deter around half of those surveyed.
• Complicated and time-consuming application procedures prevent one in five people from applying for relief.

The VdK is calling for an entitlement to a day care place, similar to the legal entitlement to a childcare center place. The association is also campaigning for a fundamental reform of support services. This includes a standardized budget that includes all entitlements and no longer forfeits unused benefits. It should also be possible to use the budget to pay neighbors, friends or volunteers who help out with care. 

Better advice on respite services increases usage

The study also shows how important independent advice is for carers. Family caregivers who do not receive advice make significantly less use of care services. With advice, the likelihood of using a care service increases many times over - from 17% to 83% in the case of day care, for example. 

Company care guides support working carers

Of the 4.8 million people who provide care at home, around 2.5 million are in employment. They have a particularly challenging double burden, as the compatibility of care and work is still a blind spot in many companies. An employer that primarily supports mothers and fathers is often still seen as family-friendly.

The pme Familienservice supports employers by training company care guides to provide carers with the help and relief they need.

Company care guides are contact persons for employees who provide care. They listen to them, relieve them of their situation and provide them with specific information to help them reconcile the care situation and their job in the best possible way.

Relief options at a glance

Relatives of people in need of care can take advantage of various relief options, including

• Short-term care
• Day care
• Preventive care
• Benefits via the relief contribution
• Outpatient services
• Private senior care via the cash benefit 

In addition to these long-term care insurance benefits, there are other approaches:

• In the "Living for help" model, students support older people in their everyday lives. 
• It is possible to set up a (supervised) residential group, for which there is a special residential group supplement. 
• In general, the use of aids can be useful - especially in the area of ambient assisted living. 
• It is advisable to consider alternative forms of housing such as assisted living, sheltered housing or multi-generational living in good time.  

Sources:

Social Association VdK Germany

BMFSFJ

About the pme Familienservice

On behalf of more than 1,400 employers, the pme Familienservice Group supports employees in achieving a successful work-life balance and being able to work with a clear head.

You can find out more about the pme Familienservice Group here.