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Heilbronn social welfare office under criticism: applications for care remain unprocessed!
Residents in Heilbronn are fighting long waiting times at the social welfare office for care applications. There is a risk of layoffs and financial support is necessary.
Heilbronn social welfare office under criticism: applications for care remain unprocessed!
In the Rems-Murr district, the processing of care applications at the Heilbronn social welfare office is causing dissatisfaction and concern. A resident from Spiegelberg is faced with the termination of his home contract after more than a year of unpaid care services. The application for “assistance with care” has remained unprocessed by the Heilbronn social welfare office for a year, which makes the situation extremely precarious for those affected. The man's pension is not enough to cover the high costs of accommodation in a nursing home, which fluctuate between 2,240 and 3,480 euros per month. His assets have already been used up and the care facility is bearing the financial burden for the time being, but this is not a sustainable solution. The social environment is alarmed because it's not just him who is threatened with expulsion - six other residents are also facing the same fate. SWR reports about the serious situation.
The problems are not new. Nursing homes in Germany complain about the enormous waiting times in processing applications for social assistance, with outdated structures and inadequate legal regulations repeatedly coming into focus. Many facilities have already filed for bankruptcy or have had to drastically reduce the number of places they have. A spokesman for the home expressed the desire for a legal regulation that sets a maximum processing time for these applications. In addition, the nursing home is calling for an interim financing model to remedy the acute grievances.
The role of the social welfare office and nursing care insurance
Why are there such delays? The Heilbronn social welfare office points out that processing applications is often very complex. Missing documents or extensive checks of financial circumstances lead to longer waiting times, which can have fatal consequences for those affected in an extremely critical phase of life. In the event of inadequate benefits from social care insurance, which according to Consumer advice center are regulated in Social Security Code 11 and limited to maximum amounts, people in need of care can apply for “assistance with care”.
However, in order to be entitled to social assistance, those affected must prove that they are not entitled to long-term care insurance benefits and that they have insufficient personal resources. The relevant criteria include income, which is taken into account when calculating need. Although exceptions exist, the hurdles are high. It is also the assets that must be used for home costs, apart from a “protective asset” of around 10,000 euros per person.
The future of nursing homes and their residents
The current situation makes it clear that many things in the area of care and social security are not yet running smoothly. In Heilbronn the pressure on the care facilities is noticeable. With the ongoing financial bottlenecks and the uncertainty surrounding the processing of applications, not only the operators but, above all, the people dependent on care are facing major challenges. It remains to be hoped that those responsible will rethink their structures and find rapid responses to the challenges in order to provide the residents of the care facilities with the necessary support.