Now more control and money required for 24-hour care!

Now more control and money required for 24-hour care!

Österreich, Österreich - In Austria, the 24-hour care of those in need of care at home is increasingly being focused on public discussion. Bettina Löfler, member of the management of BestCare 24, calls for a binding quality assurance in this area. It points out that the quality certificate ÖQZ-24 introduced in 2019 is only recommended, but is not mandatory. This means that transparency and quality in person care cannot be sufficiently guaranteed. Löfler suggests that all providers take over this certificate in order to create clear framework conditions for caregivers and to ensure the quality of care by qualified nursing staff.

The need for such a reform is undisputed, because more than 30,000 people in Austria are currently receiving 24-hour care. The costs for care at home are around 800 euros per month, while a nursing home costs around 2,600 euros per month. In a nursing home, the person concerned only receives 20% of his pension and 10% of the care allowance as pocket money, which underlines the importance of domestic care. Löfler emphasizes that home care not only relieves the person concerned, but also the entire care system.

demands for measures and controls

The measures required by Löfler also include regular, strict controls of the providers and the granting of funding only if these specifications comply with. The proposals also include the increase in funding for 24-hour support to 1,500 euros per month and the increase in the income limit to use these funding from EUR 2,500 to EUR 3,500. Löfler sees an ambitious step in the right direction in the Federal Government programs and calls for a political starting signal to implement the measures mentioned.

The Ministry of Social Affairs has already taken steps to ensure stable support situations for customers, relatives and supervisors. Close cooperation with mediation agencies is crucial. The guidelines and registration rules, which form the basis of the quality standards for personal care, are intended to serve the interests of all parties involved - including customers, relatives, supervisors and agencies. Quality monitoring and a test of the certification procedure by the placement agencies are pending.

goals and guidelines of the quality certificate

The quality certificate ÖQZ-24, which was developed by the Maltese Care, aims to significantly improve the quality of 24-hour care. The guidelines include a need for needs before the start of care by qualified health and nursing staff, regular nursing visits at least once a quarter and the organization of representations in the event of preventation within three days. The transparent design of contracts and clear framework conditions for caregivers are other central points. These measures are intended to ensure that the childcare situation is stable for everyone involved and is based on the principles of contract loyalty, transparency and professionalism.

The letter of recognition by the Federal Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs, Health and Consumer Protection underline the relevance of the certificate. A chairman of the specialist association of passenger supervisors emphasize how important the quality seal of approval is for the entire industry. The framework conditions of the ÖQZ-24 certification are therefore not only an indication of quality, but also an obligation to continuously develop in support.