Your child already has a third cold during the autumn and you feel that it should really get better and not pass? An octogenarian mom has become seriously ill and is no longer self-sufficient? Do you qualify for government assistance if you are caring for a loved one? Elderly home care or nursing home care may be the ideal solution for you in these situations. We’ve put together an overview of what you can claim for in home nursing care and under what conditions.
If you have a sick family member and you want to provide care for them, you should go ‘on the paragraph’, so to speak, to qualify for the nursing allowance, and in particular you should be a classic employee with a contract of employment. Employees who are covered by sickness insurance are entitled to sick pay. This does not only apply to a classic employment contract, but can also apply to employees working on a fixed-term or permanent contract if their income gives rise to sickness insurance. On the other hand, self-employed workers are not entitled to sick pay unless they pay voluntary sickness insurance to the extent provided for by law. This is a general rule, but it can be changed in exceptional situations, such as the covid pandemic.
Attendance allowance is a sickness insurance benefit paid by the local District Social Security Office. The law sets out the conditions that must be met for it to be paid. The basic ones are the employee’s participation in sickness insurance and the sick person’s stay at home. Should the patient’s condition necessitate a stay in hospital, the nursing allowance would cease to be paid.
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The law allows you to care for a sick family member with whom you live in the household if their condition is so serious that they require the care of someone else. For example, you may be able to get nursing care for a parent or spouse. This form of home care is very common, especially when caring for the elderly at home.
The severity of the medical condition, as well as the condition of living in the same household, does not have to be examined and fulfilled for children under 10 years of age. For such young children, it is always the case that any illness they may have requires care by another person.
Attendance allowance for healthy children may sound a bit like a contradiction in terms, but the law does indeed remember them too. In fact, you may be entitled to nursing allowance even in some cases where the child does not need direct treatment but undoubtedly needs care, for example because he or she cannot attend school. We have explored this option really thoroughly, including various modifications and updates by the government during the epidemic of covid.
So these cases are about caring for a healthy child under the age of 10, for the reason that:
If you are unable to work for longer and are away from the workplace for more than a few days, you can take turns with the other parent or another person covered by the legal requirements during the care. In fact, two people can be provided with care during the course of one case of care needs.
This statutory provision thus facilitates the care of a sick child, for example for parents who use alternate care.
You will receive nursing allowance for the first nine calendar days, provided that the need for nursing continues. This can be up to 16 days for employees who are single parents caring for a child under the age of 16 who has not completed compulsory schooling.
The amount of the nursing allowance is based on your salary and is determined as 60% of the daily assessment base per calendar day. This is, in simple terms, the average daily earnings for the reference period – usually the 12 calendar months preceding the month in which the entitlement to sick pay arose. Simply add up the income for that period and divide it by the number of calendar days. This gives the daily assessment base. Three so-called reduction thresholds can still be applied to it, which reduce this amount and make it the so-called reduced daily assessment base.
The easiest way to find out the approximate amount of sick pay is to use one of the online calculators.
Tip: We have worked out the procedure for applying for sick pay in a separate article.
The health of an elderly parent or grandparent may require long-term care. Rather than institutionalization, home care for the elderly is often preferred to maintain familiar surroundings and contact with loved ones. If professional health care is needed, it can be provided through home nursing care covered by health insurance.
If your personal situation allows, then home care for the elderly is ideal. This option is, of course, advantageous for the state, but it is primarily appreciated by the seniors themselves. They can remain in familiar surroundings, surrounded by loved ones, and yet not have to worry about medical neglect.
Home care services can be prescribed by the attending physician after an examination . Of course, this must not be a medical condition that requires hospitalisation. Based on the examination, the doctor will recommend the number of visits to the patient and the goal of care, which is then developed in the form of a care plan. In the case of a more serious condition, a care allowance is available, which is often used to cover the costs of caring for a loved one.
If you are caring for a loved one over the age of one who is dependent on the help of another person because of a long-term health condition, a care allowance (formerly known as a helplessness allowance) can make things easier. However, the care allowance is not paid to the person caring for the person, but directly to the person in need, who decides whether to pay relatives, a carer or social services for help. Typically, this institution is used to care for parents who are unable to do so.
Tip: We’ve covered how to claim Attendance Allowance in a separate article.
The amount of the allowance is determined according to the degree of dependence and whether or not a residential social service is used at the same time. The amount of the care allowance depends on the degree of dependence of the person on the assistance of another person and on his or her age. The amounts change over time and are regularly indexed, so it is always advisable to check the current amount with the Labour Office or the legislation in force. Although it is most commonly used for home care for the elderly, how can it be used for the care of anyone who needs it, of course. An application for the care allowance must be completed and submitted to the relevant branch of the Labour Office, according to the place of residence of the applicant. If the person concerned is unable to complete the application themselves, an agent will complete the application.
Caring for a loved one is a demanding but very important activity, which can be supported both legally and financially. Whether it’s short-term care for a family member or long-term care at home for the elderly, the state offers a number of tools to make it easier. Be sure to take advantage of available benefits or services that can make it much easier for you.
If you’re caring for a sick family member, you may be able to take advantage of the nursing allowance, which is a health insurance benefit you’re entitled to as an employee with a work contract. For young children under 10, you do not have to meet the shared household requirement. For long-term care of a loved one, you can claim a care allowance, the amount of which depends on the level of dependency of the person in need. This can be prescribed by your GP and covers care provided by your family, carer or social services. Home care for the elderly is preferred because it allows you to stay in a close environment.
Tip: Read what to do if you disagree with your care allowance.
Yes, you may be entitled to sick pay even if you work on a fixed-term or part-time contract, as long as you are covered by sickness insurance. Typically this applies to FTEs and some DPPs for which sickness insurance is paid. If you are unsure whether your particular arrangement meets the statutory conditions, it is advisable to check the situation – getting it wrong could lead to a refusal of benefits.
Nursing care is normally provided for a maximum of 9 calendar days, or up to 16 days for single parents caring for a child who has not completed compulsory schooling. Two beneficiaries, for example both parents, can take turns during the same period of care. However, the alternation must be reported correctly, otherwise there is a risk of complications in the payment of the benefit.
Yes. You can get nursing care for a child who is not ill if you have to look after them personally, for example because a school or nursery closes, a child is quarantined or a carer falls ill. It is not the child’s medical condition, but an obstacle to the child’s normal care.
Attendance allowance is a short-term sickness insurance benefit for employees temporarily caring for a sick family member or child.
Attendance allowance, on the other hand, is a long-term benefit for people who are dependent on the help of another person because of an adverse health condition. This allowance is paid directly to the person in need of care and the person decides whether to use it to pay for family, outreach or residential care.
Yes. Long-term care for an elderly person can be covered by a care allowance or home nursing care paid for by the health insurance, if indicated by a doctor. The combination of these forms of support can make family care much easier, but the conditions and requirements vary according to the individual situation. In practice, individual legal or social counselling can often help.
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