How to recognise a good care service
What is a care service allowed to do? What does it have to do, what can it do? Admittedly: If you can choose between several care services in your area, you have a luxury problem in Germany. Due to a nationwide shortage of nursing staff, the capacities of the approximately 14,000 outpatient nursing services in the Federal Republic are already at their limits almost everywhere. Nevertheless, it is worthwhile to pay attention to certain criteria when hiring a care service. This is because not all professional providers manage to provide extra information beyond what is necessary or to always answer questions in sufficient detail, given their busy schedules and many enquiries.
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Transparency is the magic word
A good care service will explain everything important to you during the initial consultation. This means that a staff member takes time for you and together with you determines the individual needs and the optimal care for you or your relative. It should also be explained to you exactly which costs for which services are covered by whom and which budget from which funds you can use. This is important because, in addition to the care measures prescribed by the doctor, you can also make use of assistance in everyday life. Depending on the level of care, you are entitled to a certain amount of money for this.
Cost estimate creates clarity
A good care service will provide you with a detailed cost estimate. This means that you will not only be given a price list, but all the services you need will be listed in detail and added up. What you should know: Services that are provided on the basis of a doctor's prescription are called "treatment care". These services are governed by the Social Code Book V [1]. Only registered nurses are allowed to provide these services. This includes, for example, wound care, the insertion of catheters or the administration of certain injections. These services are usually paid for by the health insurance company and rarely affect your own purse. For your calculation, the services that are of particular interest are those that have nothing to do with medical necessity, but which make everyday life easier for you or your family member and sometimes even make it possible for you to remain in your own home.
A good care service makes the best use of your budget
If, for example, you have 1,298 euros per month for care benefits in kind (always direct settlement of the provider with the care insurance fund) plus 125 euros for relief services, this means the following: For help with personal hygiene, shopping or cleaning the flat, you can hire different providers approved by the insurance fund on your own. The crux of the matter, however, is that you have to keep track of your budget yourself and collect invoices and then submit them to the health insurance fund. Even if you allow the individual providers to settle directly with the insurance company by means of a so-called declaration of assignment, there is a problem: If you commission several providers, the upper limit of your budget could be exceeded at the end of the month - and it is not clear which provider would then ultimately be left with their costs.
If you let a care service organise these services that make everyday life easier, they can keep an eye on your monthly budget for you and at the same time see how you can get even more out of your budget. It is important to note that some daily tasks do not necessarily have to be carried out by a specialist. For example, shopping does not necessarily have to be done by a trained housekeeper. This is easy on the budget - because a specialist naturally means a higher salary. The care service should also make this transparent for you when you leave the administration of your budget to them. However, personnel costs also depend on whether and which collective agreement is applied to the employees. This is why there are sometimes price differences between different care services for the same service. In such cases, it is worth taking a closer look. You can find recommendations on contract contents and service complexes, for example, in the download area of the AOK health partner portal [2].
May I make special requests?
"Please always come after eight o'clock for washing!" Or "Please send only a female carer for my mother's personal hygiene!" Am I allowed to make such special requests? Of course you can. A good care provider will listen to your wishes and check whether they are feasible. However, you should keep in mind that nursing services almost always have to deal with staff shortages. As a result, the staff's rounds are very full and it is not always possible to take into account all the special requests of the clients. It's quite clear that sending you only your favourite care workers, for example, is a challenge even for a good care service. After all, staff members also go on holiday or are sick sometimes. Special requests regarding times can also be difficult to implement. Nevertheless, if you ask in a friendly manner, you will receive an equally friendly response from a good care service - and ideally, some wishes will even be fulfilled.
Biography work - essential for good care
If you are caring for a relative, a good care provider will ask very carefully about the client's habits and life history. It is difficult to deal confidently with someone about whom you know nothing. If, for example, your elderly mother had a traumatic experience, struggles with certain fears or is used to always using the same brand of shower gel, then knowing this makes it much easier to deal with her in everyday life. Therefore, it is a good sign if you are asked questions about this during the intake interview.
Accessibility
If you or your relative want to tell the care provider something at short notice or an urgent question arises, a good care provider should also be available. Ask about the on-call service. It must be guaranteed that you can always get someone on the line who can help you. The on-call service should be available around the clock and in case of doubt - if you cannot reach someone immediately - they should call you back.
View MDK nursing grade
You can get a quick overview of the ratings of a care service in the AOK Care Navigator [3]. The remuneration contracts with the nursing services are stored there. You can also see at a glance what grade the Medical Service of the Health Insurance Funds (MDK) gave a care service during the last inspection.
Conclusion
A good care service is characterised above all by transparency. They should always answer your questions and have an open ear for special requests - even if these cannot always be fulfilled. You and your relatives should feel well looked after. In addition, the care service must always be available on call.
Sources & Notes
[1]: Social Code Book V: https://www.sozialgesetzbuch-sgb.de/sgbv/11.html
[2]: AOK download area: https://www.aok-gesundheitspartner.de/bund/pflege/ambulant_sgbxi/index.html
[3]: AOK Care Navigator: https://www.pflege-navigator.de/index.php?module=careservice
Further sources:
https://www.destatis.de/DE/Themen/Gesellschaft-Umwelt/Gesundheit/Pflege/Publikationen/Downloads-Pflege/laender-ambulante-pflegedienste-5224101179004.pdf?__blob=publicationFile
https://www.sozialgesetzbuch-sgb.de/sgbv/11.html
https://www.aok-gesundheitspartner.de/bund/pflege/ambulant_sgbxi/index.html
