Target image for care: more prevention and investment required

Strengthening skills through counseling services

Of the more than 300,000 people in need of care in Saxony, 85 percent are cared for at home, a large proportion exclusively by family and friends, said Silke Heinke, head of the state representation of the Association of Substitute Health Insurance Funds (VDEK) Saxony. There must be better advice and information services for carers and those affected themselves in order to achieve better health and care competence. The environment must be designed in such a way that the need for care is postponed as far as possible.

The paper also provides for an expansion of digitalization in the care sector. The first step is to focus on documentation processes, which are currently still mainly done by hand. The use of telecare applications and assistance systems is also being considered, which could relieve the burden on care staff by performing simple tasks. Measures for securing and recruiting nursing staff are also proposed.