Berlin: (hib/PK) In the opinion of the Union faction, health promotion and prevention in nursing must be strengthened. Even if the assumption is not correct that aging per se is the cause of the need for care, the further aging of society will inevitably lead to an enormous increase in the additional need for nursing care, according to a motion (20/11152) by the parliamentary group.
According to the results of the Federal Statistical Office’s care forecast, the number of people in need of care will increase from around 5 million at the end of 2021 to around 6.8 million in 2055. Illnesses such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases and dementia led to an increased risk of care.
The age-typical multimorbidity of many people is becoming a further challenge for the healthcare system. Too little exercise, unhealthy diet or stress are often contributing factors for widespread diseases. The risk of care also correlates with the criterion of social inequality.
Given the increasing staff shortages in nursing and the forecasts presented, it can be assumed that the tense situation in nursing will continue to worsen. Prevention and preventative care could make an important contribution to delaying or preventing people from needing care.
The group’s catalog of demands includes 16 points, including a prevention concept for the need for care that covers all areas of life and regions as well as health promotion from birth through school, university and working life.
It should also be examined to what extent preventative care home visits can be implemented more broadly in appropriate cases in order to ensure that seniors can live at home for as long as possible. The principle of outpatient before inpatient must be given greater consideration in benefit law. Innovative forms of living such as outpatient care shared accommodation should be better supported.