The number of people who need help in old age has been increasing for years. There are currently around five million in this country. Because of the baby boomer cohorts of the 1950s and 1960s, the number will continue to increase for many years to come. According to forecasts by the Federal Statistical Office, around 7.65 million people will need permanent help by 2055.
About four out of five people in need of care are cared for at home, mostly by relatives, often supported by a professional service. Only a fifth is housed in a home. However, this proportion increases with age. But no matter whether at home or in a facility: the care is expensive. The long-term care insurance cushions the burden, but only works like a partially comprehensive insurance.
Anyone who is not cared for at home always has a financing gap. According to the Association of Substitute Health Insurance Funds, home residents currently have to bear an average of €2,548 per month in their first year, €348 more than in mid-2022. However, there are ways to cushion this financial burden.