Respite care for family carers: what is it actually?
Relief for family carers: help with financing home help & co. As we get older, we need help in everyday life, some more, some less. Family carers are not always able to provide this support - nor do they have to. Thanks to relief for family caregivers, you too can book services and "reclaim" the costs from your care insurance. In this magazin , we take a closer look at how this works, who is entitled to respite services and what benefits the offer has for you and your family.
If you want to live at home in your own four walls for as long as possible, but are no longer able to manage all of your everyday tasks, a home help important support. Caring relatives also often make use of professional help. If you need this help now or in the near future, then the topic of respite care is important for you.
Only just over half of those in need of care living at home made use of respite care in 2019. The health insurance companies suspect that in many cases there is simply a lack of knowledge about this option for financing everyday support.
Relief benefit: So what is behind this unwieldy term?
As part of the respite services you can use the services of a home help, for example. You can then have the costs for the home help reimbursed by the care insurance fund. (In cases where you commission an agency such as the home help directly with the application, the advance payment does not apply). The aim of this reimbursement is to give both senior citizens and their relatives enough time to take necessary breaks. Those who are able to recover sufficiently in their everyday lives can draw new strength for challenges of all kinds. After all, the situation demands strength from everyone involved - which is why it pays off when many strong shoulders work together to cope with everyday life.
What help does the employee financed by the relief offer me?
Depending on requirements, the home help can support you and your relatives in different ways. This can include weekly shopping help or a walk with a volunteer, help with participating in sports or leisure activities such as choirs, craft groups in the charity and similar activities. Help with household chores is also one of the possibilities that a caregiver can offer. Last but not least, you can use the respite care service to pay for an escort when you need to visit the doctor, go to the authorities or attend other appointments.
The advantages of the relief aid
People who care for relatives in their own homes in particular benefit from the trained specialists who are financed by the relief assistance. They take on a wide range of everyday tasks for a few hours each month.
Under certain circumstances, people with care level 1 can also use this to claim outpatient care services. However, this does not apply to care levels 2 to 5, as the money from the relief amount is intended as additional support in the home and everyday life, not as a physical care measure.
With a domestic help from the Agency for Domestic Help you will be provided with a trained helper for everyday life. In addition, our agency with its more than 50 branches throughout Germany also takes care of advice and billing with the health insurance companies. This means you benefit from a professional network of helpers and always have a personal contact person on site.
The advantages of the domestic help agency at a glance:
- Professional support with difficult everyday tasks
- Necessary breaks for family caregivers
- financial relief with the provision of household help and co.
- live independently at home for longer with the right support
- Personal contacts nearby
- Advice and information for relatives and those affected
- Direct consultation and billing with the care insurance fund
Who is entitled to the care insurance fund's respite care benefit?
The relief contribution is granted as a monthly benefit and currently amounts to 125 euros. Eligible persons with a care level of 1 to 5 receive it in addition to all other care benefits. Payment does not require an examination by the MDK (the health insurance company's medical service) is required for payment, as is a separate application.
Anyone in need of care who lives at home and receives benefits from long-term care insurance can receive relief for everyday life.
Tips on assuming costs: What do I need to look out for when receiving respite care?
In principle, you must always be able to provide proof of all payments for respite and care services. So always keep all invoices, as these must be submitted to the care insurance fund.
Also important: Find out in advance from your care insurance fund which providers are approved. This will tell you whether the home help you have chosen will be covered. Take advantage of the offer of relief assistance offered by our agency, we will clarify this question for you.
Respite care services are generally reimbursed according to the cost reimbursement principle. This means that you initially pay for the home help or companion yourself. You then submit the invoice to the care insurance fund and receive the money you have already paid back from them.
If you want to save yourself this organizational effort, you can sign a declaration of assignment for the care or respite service. This service provider, such as our agency, then settles the bill directly with the care insurance fund without you having to pay out of your own pocket first.
Important: In this case too, you must keep an eye on all expenses. This will prevent you from exceeding the monthly budget of 131 euros, for example.
Take the opportunity to make everyday life easier for yourself as a person in need of care or as a family member providing care. Benefit from trained staff who create the space you need for quiet moments and revitalizing breaks. So you can stay at home longer, where you feel comfortable. You have earned it!
Would you like non-binding advice on household help and your options? Then get in touch now!
