Care in transition: Parishes are handing over responsibility for old people's homes!

Care in transition: Parishes are handing over responsibility for old people's homes!

The landscape of old people's and nursing homes in the diocese of Münster is currently undergoing profound change. More and more parishes are giving up sponsorship of these important institutions and handing them over to larger sponsors. This not only represents a significant change in ownership, but also reflects the challenges facing the healthcare system Church-and-life reported.

A central problem underlying all of these changes is the acute shortage of skilled workers in nursing. According to current information, there is little hope for improvement. The annual increase in the number of people in need of care in Germany ensures that the demand for care services continues to rise. It is estimated that the number of people in need of care will rise to around six million by 2040, which will further exacerbate the situation for both facilities and employees Deutschlandfunk.

Increasing demands on care facilities

As a result of the changes, especially due to the North Rhine-Westphalia Housing and Participation Act of 2014, many old people's homes have to be extensively renovated. The parishes that were previously responsible for the charitable institutions can often no longer meet these increased demands. Instead, many opt to hand over ownership to larger institutions that have the necessary resources. This is not only a financial but also an organizational problem that affects many communities.

The figures from the Federal Employment Agency show that geriatric care in Germany is affected by a personnel shortage. In 2024, there was a reported shortage of over 191,000 nursing staff, which represents an enormous challenge for everyone involved. There are already 115,000 vacant positions in geriatric care, and the German Nursing Council estimates a shortage of around 500,000 nursing staff by 2034 Employment agency statistics shows.

Future prospects for geriatric care

So what happens next? Experts are calling for far-reaching reforms to ensure the quality of care and combat the shortage of staff. One suggestion would be better training and pay for nursing staff as well as more flexible working time models. Innovative concepts such as the Dutch care model “Buurtzorg”, which relies on self-organization, could also be the key to more efficient care.

Another idea is to introduce a care allowance for relatives who provide care - this could alleviate the burden that many families bear. Technological solutions, such as smart applications to support care or social robots that are intended to promote communication with those in need of care, are also becoming increasingly popular. The social robot “Willi” from Berlin, financed by private donations, shows how important new approaches can become when traditional structures are no longer sufficient.

One thing is certain: the plans are, to be honest, a challenge, but also an exciting opportunity to make geriatric care in Germany sustainable. It remains to be hoped that the upcoming reforms and measures will lead to a significant improvement in the situation.