17.03.2021 Gabriele Strasser 6341

Distance caregiving: there for relatives from afar

More and more professionals are leaving their home country and their families to work in Germany. If their elderly relatives at home need care during this time, it is a difficult situation.

The pme Familienservice has been supporting the employees of its client companies in dealing with the care situation for many years. We help to find suitable solutions across locations and national borders. 

Practical support and research for care abroad

Everything was fine for years. Then the mother falls in her distant home country and suddenly needs care. For relatives working in Germany, this is a stressful situation in more ways than one. It's not just that they are not there to help and influence directly. Unlike the situation in Germany, there is often no social system such as care insurance that clearly regulates who receives what support. At such times, those affected do not know where to turn. That's why we at pme Familienservice support employees of our client companies with all the questions that a long-term illness or the need for care of a relative in another country entails. 

A good knowledge of the care and social systems in the various countries and the employment law options in Germany is important for good support. For example, a care degree is required to be able to take care leave. But what if the person in need of care lives in a country where there are no such care degrees? In this specific case, thanks to our in-depth research, we were able to enable an employee to take time off to care for her mother in another country.

Many dimensions, many ways to help

Various issues are associated with distance caregiving. On the one hand, there is the psychosocial component. A relative's need for care is always stressful, especially when you have responsibility but cannot control the situation from a distance. On the other hand, the question arises as to how specific help can be provided, for example with inpatient care or outpatient care options. There are always situations that require conflict resolution, such as when siblings argue about who is responsible for care. Last but not least, it is often particularly stressful for working people when they have to come to terms with the loss of a relative far from home and their family members. 

We support employees of our client companies with appropriate contracts with all questions and requirements, for example

• Establishment of a functioning local network
• Psychosocial counseling
• Organization of medical treatments (e.g. surgery)
• Clarification of transfer issues: Can a relative come to Germany? 
• Advice on care time abroad 
• Researching financial support options
• Researching and arranging care solutions at home and abroad
• Care proceedings abroad.

"Many people whose relatives live in other countries feel alone with their situation. They don't expect to receive any support. But no matter where their relatives live: We can always do something. First of all, we are there for those affected, listen to them and support them in dealing with the situation. Thanks to our many years of experience and our good contacts, we find solutions that really help." 

Jürgen Griesbeck, Product Manager Homecare-Eldercare at pme Familienservice

pme Familienservice Group - Your EAP provider since 1991

On behalf of more than 900 employers, the pme Familienservice Group supports employees in achieving a successful work-life balance and being able to work with a clear head.

The pme Familienservice Group supports working people in crises, e.g. conflicts at work, addiction or partnership problems. With a homecare eldercare service, it helps working people to organize and finance care services and offers psychosocial support. The pme Academy offers seminars, workshops and coaching on the topics of personnel management and development.

You can find out more about the pme Familienservice Group here: www.familienservice.de/wer-wir-sind