Fact sheets A-Z

Anyone needing nursing care does not necessarily have to receive it in a hospital setting, for example, in a clinic. In many cases, these treatments can also be received in the home environment via outpatient care services. The legal basis...

People who are limited in their abilities and independence because of a physical, mental or emotional illness are considered to be in need of care. If the need for care is likely to last longer than six months, they can...

Dementia is the generic term for illnesses that are accompanied by a loss of mental functions such as thinking, remembering, orientation and making links between the content of different thoughts. It is a disturbance of the brain’s ability to function....

The offers for support in everyday life is meant to provide support and burden relief to caregiving relatives and other related caregivers. This enables people who are in need of assistance to be more independent and self-reliant in everyday life....

You can choose from a variety of home nursing care service providers to provide assistance with hygiene, household duties and supervision. There are also nursing care services that have special offers such as care for young nursing patients or patients...

Many people need help with shopping, cooking or with cleaning living spaces. On request, the medical insurance company will cover the costs for household help due to serious illness, particularly after a hospital stay. (See information sheet no. 1 Home...

The law requires co-payment for certain services of the health schemes from the insured person: Insured persons up to age 18 are exempt from co-payment (except: travelling expenses) For every calendar year all insured persons from the age of 18...

Domestic care when the care provider is unavailable (respite care) When a private caregiver is unavailable due to holidays, sickness or for other reasons prevented to perform care, the nursing care insurance covers the costs of the required substitute care...

People who are in need of care have the option to be cared for outside of the family for part of the day. In this case, day-patient care can be provided. The right to day-patient care is not limited in...

Patients can be treated in a geriatric day clinic following in-patient treatment or in lieu of hospitalization. For the health care of older people, the day clinic is an important link between out-patient and in-patient clinics.

If home or outpatient nursing care is no longer sufficient, it may become necessary to move to a nursing home. Full-time nursing care is mainly used by people who are in need of care in the sense of the nursing...

This checklist contains a number of criteria that is important for the assessment and comparison of nursing homes. Several nursing homes should be visited. Please note: A nursing home that meets all of these criteria does not exist. Nevertheless, it...

“Accommodation for the Elderly” describes different forms and types of housing. The most important include: Senior citizens’ home Home care or assisted living Community living Out-patient assisted living communities Nursing home These types of living accommodation differ in the extent...

Many older people want to live independent lives in their own home combined with the safety of being able to quickly and easily get help in case of need. “Assisted living– or “Service-living– attempts to address these needs.“Assisted living,“ also...

Assisted residential facilities (see also Information Sheet No. 14 Assisted Living) differ greatly in terms of facilities, service package and cost. This relatively new service is not the solution for everyone. Therefore, it is important to gather information ahead of...

Aside from obtaining aids, adapting your home can involve structural reconfigurations such as removal of thresholds, making the bathroom and kitchen handicap friendly, or elevating the balcony. Even small changes can make life much easier in your own home, help...

For the use of certain care aids intended for general hygiene, the protection of caregivers and which simplifies care giving. Generally, due to the material properties or for hygienic reasons, they can be used only once. Which aids are available...

Aids are objects which compensate for physical impairments. There is a difference between aids and nursing care products. The cost for aids is covered in full or in part by the health insurance fund in order to support a medical...

If you are afraid that you won–™t be able to get help after a fall or an accident in your home, installing an emergency call system can be a good solution. Which home emergency call systems are available?  

For the elderly, the ill or handicapped, it is often difficult for them to leave their home. People who live alone may therefore feel isolated and lonely. Various options exist that can help people in these situations stay mobile, keep...

People with disabilities who are not physically able to use public transportation or “normal taxicabs” and/or whose place of residence/arrival has obstacles, can avail themselves of Berlin–™s Special Transport Service (SonderFahrDienst, SFD). The transport service is calles “Wirmobil” and is...

The severely handicapped pass is available upon application. Only the Office for Public Support can issue the pass. The degree of disability can be assessed by the medical service of the Office for Public Support. The application form is available...

Rehabilitation services are designed to remove, reduce or prevent impairment of bodily functions so that the onset of a disability or the need for long-term care can be averted. Various treatment options help to restore the patient–™s ability to do...

An accident, a stroke, surgery or other events can affect anyone unexpectedly and lead to situations in which one cannot be responsible to act and make decisions. In these cases, family members can decide only with a power of attorney....

With advanced age, it is possible that a mental (age-related) disease or a psychological, emotional or physical disability can temporarily or permanently hamper the ability to take careof one–™s personal affairs. For the benefit of the affected individual, legal guardianship...

Basic subsistence income is a benefit under the Social Security Code (SBG) XII for the elderly and permanently fully disabled persons who cannot afford their daily necessities from their income and personal assets.    

Increasingly more people suffer from impaired memory and orientation at higher age. These impairments may have very different causes. Increased attention must be paid if an individual can no longer manage their everyday life due to difficulties with memory and...

High-grade visually impaired, blind and deaf individuals have a claim to compensation in the federal state of Berlin according to the State Care Benefits Act (LPflGG) for personal expenses due to the impairment. These benefits are not social services benefits....

Externally assisted residential communities provide an alternative to persons in need of care, in particular those suffering from dementia. Residential communities are not nursing homes or residential facilities. Rather, the residents live together as tenants in a separate, shared apartment....

This checklist gives examples of how flats can be adjusted to the requirements of individuals with dementia. The living environment/flat should be adjusted to the personal abilities of the individual with dementia taking into account spatial conditions. The changes should...

This check list intends to help you selecting a flat sharing community (WG) for individuals with dementia. It helps you to clarify, what is important to you. Carefully consider what you can and want to contribute, but also what the...

When care needs are evaluated, a person’s independence is evaluated in six aspects of their life (modules) Module 1: Mobility Module 2: cognitive und communicative abilities Module 3: Behaviour patterns and problematic mental areas Module 4: Looking after oneself Module...

Through the Care Insurance Act (§ 44 SGB XI), options for social security protection of caregivers has been created: Pension insurance scheme Many people can pursue only in a limited capacity or no longer pursue their jobs due to the...

If close family members want to care for a person in need of care for a certain period, they have the opportunity to seek leave of absence from work. Under the law to improve reconciliation of work and care there...

If the costs for nursing care exceed the income of a person in need of nursing care, he or she can get what is known as help with care from the social welfare office. As soon as the social welfare...

Severely ill and dying individuals need support and guidance, so that they can live out their lives according to their own wishes for as long as possible. The palliative care aims at reducing ailments and maintaining the quality of life...

Persons who need care because of their health status, but do not have the necessary funds to pay for the care (because no entitlement to care insurance benefits exists or because the benefits of the care fund are not sufficient),...

The Residential and Care Contract Law (WBVG) is a consumer protection law and regulates contracts between traders and consumers of legal age, where the letting of residential  property is  linked  to  the  payment  or offer of  nursing or care  services....

Due to a congenital illness, disability, accident or for any other reason, a need for care of children can exist. The goal is to provide children and adolescent with personalized care to improve the living situation. They should be integrated...

For persons in need of help and care and their relatives Travel is fun and increases the joy of life, often far beyond the holiday period itself. Mobility impaired people, those diagnosed with dementia or parents with children in need...

Many persons in need of care want   / or require 24-hour care in their home. Often, however, this exceeds the mental and physical capabilities of the relatives. The following options are available as full-time care and care can be organized...

The World Health Organisation describes mental disorder in the following terms: “a psychological or mental disorder is a considerable deviation from the norm in experience or behaviour that affects thoughts, emotions and actions–. There are many people who suffer from...

Taking care of yourself starts with your basic physical needs such as sleep, healthy eating, exercise and personal hygiene. Taking care of yourself also means allowing yourself regular relaxation and rest as well as regularly balancing and relieving everyday pressures...