Many Saxons worry about care in old age

Many people in Saxony are worried about care in old age. According to a survey by DAK-Gesundheit, there is a major loss of confidence in care provision among the population. Almost two thirds (64 percent) of those surveyed currently rate the situation as not good or not good at all, the health insurance company reported. 43 percent expect the situation to deteriorate over the next ten years. 90 percent demand that care in Germany must become affordable for everyone. High costs for nursing home care are named as a central problem.

Kasse sees great uncertainty among the population

"Our DAK care report shows great uncertainty among the population in Saxony," emphasized DAK state head Stefan Wandel. The results of the survey by the Allensbach Institute for Public Opinion Research are "a wake-up call to politicians at federal and state level". "People's trust in care must be strengthened and the known problems in financing and care must be solved. We now need a reform with a structural realignment of long-term care insurance that provides people in Saxony with sufficient, reliable and affordable cover."

As in the federal government, respondents in Saxony also see the biggest problems in terms of financing: 73 percent cite the high costs for those in need of care and their families for inpatient care in first place. This is followed by staff shortages and a lack of nursing staff (67 percent). For 80 percent, capping the cost of a place in a care home is important, while 74 percent would like to see the benefits system simplified. The vast majority (88%) of respondents in Saxony consider it unfair not to be adequately covered after paying into the care insurance scheme for many years.

Majority calls for state subsidies for financial security

The majority of citizens in Saxony believe that the state has a duty to ensure that long-term care insurance is financed in the future: more than half of those surveyed (60 percent) believe that it is solely the responsibility of the state and statutory long-term care insurance to cover needs. 58 percent are of the opinion that care should be covered by state subsidies or tax revenue. 47% believe that an increase in contributions for wealthy or high-earning people is the right approach. Almost as many (43%) are in favor of wealthy people contributing more to care costs in the event of a care case.

Number of people in need of care has risen sharply

The Barmer health insurance company also presented figures on care on Wednesday. According to the figures, the number of people in need of care has increased from 183,300 in 2017 to 341,500 last year. According to the health insurance company, however, only a small proportion can be explained by demographics. The main driver is the expansion of the definition of the need for care, which for the first time includes people with dementia on an equal footing. Barmer is calling for nursing professions to be made more attractive in order to meet the growing demand for personnel. Nursing should be a dream job for young people, explained Barmer state director Claudia Beutmann.