Vacation for carers: New rules make recovery easier in the Duchy!

Vacation for carers: New rules make recovery easier in the Duchy!

In the Duchy of Lauenburg district, over 8,600 AOK insured people rely on the support of their relatives who care for them at home. But what happens when the carers need a break? A vacation for caring relatives is not only desirable, but also possible without compromising the care of those in need of care. From July 1st, important legal changes will come into force that will make this process much easier. Herzogtum Direkt reports on the innovations and possibilities of preventive care.

It is essential for caring relatives to regularly regain their strength. This recovery can now be organized through respite care, which offers temporary relief when caring relatives are on vacation or are unable to do so for other reasons. Outpatient care services, acquaintances or neighbors can take over care during this time and guarantee that care is provided.

New regulations from July 2025

The upcoming changes to the law will make preventive care more flexible. Those in need of care with a care level of two or more are now entitled to up to 3,539 euros annually, which can be used for both preventive care and short-term care. Previously, these were separate maximum amounts of a maximum of 1,685 euros for preventive care and 843 euros for short-term care. The maximum duration for preventive care is increased to up to eight weeks (56 days) per calendar year. In addition, the rule that the carer must support the person in need of care for six months in order to be able to receive respite care is no longer applicable. This makes organizing short-term representation much easier.

Another advantage: care allowance is paid in full for the first and last day of absence, while it depends on half the amount for the days in between. Hourly preventive care is now also possible, which further increases flexibility. Different forms of care and support for relatives can vary in terms of claims and reimbursements, which makes individual advice recommended.

Reimbursement and further details

The benefits of statutory nursing care insurance are comprehensive, but can vary depending on the carer. In contrast to care provided by relatives, when represented by an acquaintance or service provider, a maximum reimbursement amount of 2,528 euros per year is granted, which can be increased by up to 843 euros from January 1, 2025 from unused short-term care funds. A comprehensive overview of the various reimbursement amounts is provided by Finanztip.

There are a few requirements that must be observed for preventative care: For example, the care level must be at least two. Although there was previously a minimum care period of six months, this regulation has now been lifted. This means that preventive care can now be used more flexibly. In addition, for hourly replacements that last less than eight hours, the full care allowance amounts can be retained.

For caring relatives and those affected, platforms such as Pflegeberatung offer support with the necessary applications in order to use the best possible aspects of preventive care. This advice is particularly important so that the necessary claims can be made correctly and worries about care are eliminated. Traveling together can also be an excellent alternative, but requires careful planning regarding destination and activities.

In summary, the need for care and vacation no longer have to be mutually exclusive. The new regulations offer both caring relatives and those in need of care more support and flexibility. A good reason to treat yourself to that long-awaited vacation!