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Care crisis in Hesse: Dramatic increase in those in need of help!
The need for care in the Werra-Meißner district is increasing rapidly. The AOK reports on alarming trends and solutions.
Care crisis in Hesse: Dramatic increase in those in need of help!
The need for care in Germany is increasing rapidly, especially in Hesse, where the numbers are reaching worrying levels. According to a current analysis by the AOK, the need for care in individual districts has doubled within just six years. This was determined by the AOK Scientific Institute (WIdO), which noted a significant increase in the Odenwald district. In 2023, 9.9 percent of the population there were already affected, compared to just 5.0 percent in 2017. Similar alarming developments can also be seen in the Werra-Meissner district and the Lahn-Dill district, where the need for care has increased by 96.4 percent. Particular differences can also be observed in cities such as Gießen and Marburg-Biedenkopf HIT RADIO FFH reported.
Exacerbation of the care crisis
The AOK also warns that this increase in those in need of care is accompanied by an acute shortage of nursing staff, which is further exacerbating the situation. A study shows that 64 percent of baby boomers are willing to volunteer in care projects, which could lead to private neighborhood networks, so-called “caring communities”. These networks enable professionals, relatives and volunteers to work together to help people in need of care in their familiar surroundings. The AOK sees this as an urgently needed solution to the future challenges of the care system. The WDR emphasizes that accommodating every person in need of care in a home alone would be financially prohibitive and that seniors usually do not go there voluntarily.
The demographic development in Germany shows that the number of people in need of care will continue to rise, which is also due to the aging society. The AOK plans for Caring Communities aim to keep people in need of care in their familiar surroundings for longer and to reduce the costs of care. According to WDR business editor Anne Schneider, such models have the potential to alleviate the impending disruption in care and at the same time promote the well-being of older people by enabling social contacts with younger generations.