Around 1.5 million euros deficit: nursing home Geisingen in the crisis!

Around 1.5 million euros deficit: nursing home Geisingen in the crisis!

In the Haus Wartenberg nursing home in Geisingen, there has been a serious financial situation that comprises a deficit of 1.5 million euros for 2023. These alarming numbers were announced by District Administrator Sven Hinterseh, the association chairman of the special -purpose association. In addition, it is expected that the year 2024 will also be completed with a negative result, although the losses should no longer be as high as in the previous year.

The special-purpose association, which not only includes the large nursing home with 340 seats in Geisingen, but also a smaller facility with 48 places in Blumberg. The main cause of the financial problems is the lack of personnel, which significantly hinders an occupancy of all places. A station in Geisingen is currently closed, which leads to an average utilization of less than 80 percent. In comparison, the Eichberg house in Blumberg is enjoying a higher utilization of around 95 percent.

Increasing energy costs load the budget

Another weighty factor for the deficit are the dramatically rising energy costs, which were triggered, among other things, by the Ukraine War and CO2 taxation. While the expenses for energy and water were still 654,000 euros in 2022, they rose to 1.36 million euros in 2023. For the coming year, you will assume 1.22 million euros, which reinforces the challenge.

The nursing home in Geisingen is already relying on a combined heat and power plant, but this is now out of date. The commercial managing director Boris Schmid therefore sees urgent need for action to find alternative solutions and to improve energy efficiency.

New building for future

In order to relieve the financial situation and at the same time reduce energy consumption, the planning of a replacement building for Haus Wartenberg is considered. This is to offer 90 beds and be equipped with modern, energy -saving technologies. Hope is great that this new building could lead to an improvement in energy costs in the long term.

An acute measure for cost control affects the committee's decision not to participate in a bundle tender for natural gas delivery. The district administrator emphasized that the previously made tender in 2022 created unfavorable conditions. Instead, the prices should now be optimized by regionally anchored providers and current spot market prices.

Optimism in the personnel situation

Regarding the personnel situation, the nursing managing director Torsten Fietze reported that it was possible to win new employees in 2023 after a large number of terminations. However, the company is currently still partially maintained by temporary workers. The aim is to use a permanent workforce until the end of the year.

Although the training courses at the technical school are well attended, it always happens that freshly trained forces migrate to larger communities. A problem that, according to Fietze, is related to the lack of availability of apartments for younger employees. Despite these challenges, Fietze is optimistic: "As far as the personnel situation is concerned, we are on the right track."

During the session, elections also took place. District Administrator Sven Hinterseh was again elected association chairman, while Martin Numberger, the mayor of Geisingen, is at his side as a representative.