Home help for care level 2

In Germany, people with a care degree of 2 or higher can receive financial support for a home help. Degrees of care are awarded under the long-term care insurance scheme and are based on the degree of care a person requires.

From care level 2, those affected are entitled to benefits from long-term care insurance, which they can use for various purposes in order to cope with their need for care. This also includes the financing of home help. The costs can be covered in the form of care allowance, care benefits in kind or other respite services can be provided.

It is important to contact the care insurance fund to clarify the specific options and requirements for claiming household help from care level 2. The care insurance fund can provide information on which services can be claimed and how to apply for support.

What is a home help?

A home help is a person who helps elderly people or people in need of care with everyday household tasks, such as cleaning or cooking. Under certain conditions, the costs of a home help can be covered by health or long-term care insurance, especially if the person concerned has a recognized care level is recognized.

For whom is domestic help useful?

If older people or those in need of care require help in the household, for example due to physical limitations, a home help can be a valuable support. They take over the daily household tasks that can be strenuous for seniors or people in need of care or that they can no longer manage on their own.

The home help service not only relieves the burden on older people and those in need of care, but also their carers. caring relatives.

Domestic help fits seamlessly into a range of other services that make life easier for senior citizens and people in need of care. These include, for example, the delivery of meals or everyday assistance.

What tasks does a home help take on?

A home help can perform a variety of household tasks, depending on the individual needs of the person or family utilizing their services. Some of the most common tasks that a domestic helper can undertake include:

• Cleaning: Cleaning floors, surfaces, furniture, bathrooms and kitchens is one of the basic tasks of a domestic helper. This also includes vacuuming, mopping, dusting and cleaning sanitary facilities.
• Laundry care: Washing, drying, ironing and folding clothes and bed linen can also be part of a home help's duties.
• Cooking meals: Many home helpers assist with meal preparation, including shopping, planning menus and cooking. This can be particularly helpful in ensuring that older people or those in need of care receive a balanced diet.
• Shopping: Home helps can also assist with shopping for groceries, household goods and other necessary items.
• Organization: This includes arranging cupboards, shelves and other areas of the house as well as assisting with the management of mail, appointments and other organizational tasks.
• Accompaniment: Some home helps also offer accompaniment for visits to the doctor, walks or other activities outside the home.

It is important to understand that the specific tasks of a domestic help can depend greatly on individual needs and the arrangements made, and it is advisable to clearly define and communicate these in advance to ensure that the domestic help provides the desired support.

Use domestic help sensibly

A home help can be an enormous relief for people in need of care and their relatives. However, it is important that the home help is accepted. This may sound obvious, but it is not always the case.

People in need of care have often run their own household for many years. Fixed ideas about how certain things should be done can lead to conflicts, for example when cleaning the windows or hanging up the laundry.

To avoid such conflicts, we recommend talking to the domestic help. Reputable providers encourage open communication from the outset. In this way, expectations can be exchanged and a common understanding of the work to be done can be created.

Trust is crucial for people in need of care and their relatives. As a rule, people who are dependent on help quickly get used to their home help over time. Relatives can help by initially being on site and ensuring that the chemistry is right.

It is also important to use the home help efficiently. The time they spend on site should focus primarily on tasks that are particularly strenuous for the person in need of care. Of course, the tasks can be adapted later, but communication is also crucial here.

Financing of home help through health insurance

In the event of an acute and serious illness or as transitional assistance after a stay in hospital, the health insurance fund offers support services. For a period of up to four weeks, you can apply to your health insurance fund for a "domestic support service worker". This support is only granted if no person living in the household is available to care for the sick person or run the household.

The amount of the benefit depends on who provides the help. If a private person from your environment, such as an acquaintance or neighbor, acts as domestic help, the health insurance fund pays a fixed rate of 10.25 euros per hour, usually for a maximum of eight hours per day. This means that a maximum of 82 euros per day can be reimbursed, which means a contribution of up to 2,296 euros for a period of four weeks (28 days).

If the home help is provided by a professional, the health insurance fund must conclude a direct contract with this professional and bill them directly. In this case, a personal contribution of 10 percent of the costs remains to be paid. This means a personal contribution of at least five euros and a maximum of ten euros per day. For a period of four weeks (28 days), you will therefore have to pay between 140 and 280 euros for this support.

Financing of domestic help through the care insurance fund

If continuous support is required in the long term, it is advisable to apply for a care level. From care level 2, you are entitled to care benefits in kindwhich can be used to finance a home help if the person in need of care is cared for at home and lives alone. Benefits in kind for care level 2 amount to €796 per month.

In addition to care benefits in kind, funds from the respite care can also be used to finance a home help. From care level 2, €1,685 per year is available for this purpose, regardless of the specific care level. As the care allowance is not earmarked for a specific purpose, it can also be used to employ a home help.

From care level 1, you are already entitled to the so-called relief amountas stipulated in § 45bSGB XI [mfn]§ 45b SGB XI[/mfn]: "People in need of care at home are entitled to a relief amount of up to 131 euros per month." The employment of a home help is one of the household-related services and can be financed by this relief amount. The relief amount can be used in the respective calendar year.

What am I entitled to from care level 2?

The benefits financed by the care insurance fund change depending on the care level. With care level 2, you are entitled to the following.

• Care benefits in kind: 796 euros per month
• Preventive care: 1,685 euros per calendar year
• Relief amount: 131 euros per month
• Care allowance: 347 euros per month
• Living group supplement: 224€ per month
• Care aids for consumption: €42 per month
• Measures to improve the living environment: one-off up to €4,180

Good to know:

Here is another example: Let's assume that you have not yet claimed any respite services up to the month of May, so the amount is carried over to the next month. In this case, you will have saved a total of 655 euros over five months (131 euros x 5 months). It is important to know that unused amounts do not expire, but are carried over to the following months. These amounts are even retained beyond the calendar half-year. In concrete terms, this means that the relief benefits from 2023 would not expire until June 30, 2024. Furthermore, family caregivers and people in need of care should regularly check whether it is possible to upgrade their care level if their state of health deteriorates.

Settlement of household help via care benefits in kind

For people in need of care who have at least care level 2 and are cared for at home, monthly care benefits in kind amounting to €796 are available. These are mainly used for services provided by professional care services, with invoicing usually taking place directly between the care service and the care insurance fund.

If a person in need of care does not receive the full amount allocated to them for long-term care benefits in kind there is an option to use up to 40 percent of this amount for other recognized benefits in accordance with § 45a of the Social Security Code XI [mfn]§ 45a of the Social Security Code XI[/mfn]. These benefits must help to relieve the carer or help the person in need of care to manage their everyday life as independently as possible.

If a home help meets the qualification criteria set by the state government, they will be approved to provide assistance. It is advisable to contact the care insurance company and obtain information on what to look out for when searching for a home help. Professional care services often work with home helpers who meet the required quality standards.

Reimbursement of the costs of home help can be applied for from the long-term care insurance company by submitting the relevant invoices.

Domestic help via respite care

To support caregiving relatives relieve the burden of care, those in need of care from care level 2 can benefit from respite care. This money is intended to give carers time off, either for a break or if they fall ill themselves.

The amount for respite care is independent of the level of care and is €1,685 per year. This amount can also be used to hire a recognized home help. If the annual amount for short-term care is not fully utilized, half of this amount is available for the home help.

Settlement of household help via the relief amount

Anyone who is cared for at home and has at least care level 1 is entitled to the so-called relief amount in accordance with Section 45b of the German Social Code XI (SGB XI) [mfn]Section 45b of the German Social Code XI (SGB XI)[/mfn]. This amount can be up to 131 euros per month and is specifically intended to relieve the burden on family carers or other close relatives. The money can also be used to promote the independence of the person in need of care in everyday life. However, it may only be used for approved services, such as outpatient care services or home help, which meet the quality standards of the respective federal state.

If you want to finance a home help via the relief amount, you must ensure that they meet the necessary qualifications. Home helps from recognized care services are usually unproblematic, but if you want to employ a home help found privately, they should work through a recognized agency.

It is important to clarify this in advance with your care insurance fund. In order to be reimbursed, you must submit receipts for the costs of the home help that clearly show the services provided.

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Settlement of domestic help via the care allowance

From care level 2, people in need of care who are cared for at home receive a monthly care allowance from the care insurance fund. care allowance. This amount starts at 347 euros per month for care level 2 and increases with higher care levels up to 990 euros for care level 5. The care allowance is freely available to the person in need of care. People in need of care usually use the care allowance as a form of compensation for family members, neighbors or friends who support them.

However, people in need of care can care allowance for domestic help if they wish (preferably in consultation with the family carer). In this case, it is not even necessary for the home help to meet the quality criteria of the care insurance fund.

Use the conversion entitlement to finance household help from care level 2

By converting outpatient benefits in kind in accordance with Section 45a of the German Social Security Code XI [mfn]Section 45a of the German Social Security Code XI[/mfn], you have the option of receiving additional financial support if you have a care level between 2 and 5.

You have the option of using up to 40 percent of your budget for care benefits in kind to cover the costs of a home help. The exact amount of your care benefit in kind depends on your care level.

As with the relief amount, the home help must be recognized by the care insurance fund in accordance with the regulations of the respective federal state in order for you to be entitled to the conversion of outpatient benefits in kind.

Apply for household help

In principle, you have various options for hiring domestic help. For example, you can obtain domestic help through your health insurance fund. You can also hire a domestic help directly, which involves aspects that are subject to social insurance contributions. Hiring domestic help from Poland is also a popular option. The costs vary depending on your choice. If you bear the costs yourself, you can deduct the domestic help from your taxes.

If you need household help because you are in need of care, we recommend that you apply for household help through your care insurance fund. Here are the requirements for using the relief amount for domestic help:

1. You have at least care level 1.
2. You choose a certified provider: Your care insurance fund can tell you which service providers are certified. If you are unsure, it is worth asking to avoid delays.
3. You submit an application: Although this bureaucratic step is annoying, it is necessary in order to establish entitlement and receive benefits. If you already have a care level, no new medical assessment is required.
4. Keep all receipts in a safe place: The relief amount is regarded as a reimbursement amount. You must therefore keep all receipts, submit them and then get your money back.

Finding domestic help

The search for a reliable domestic help for seniors can be a challenge. Care services and specialized home help services are often in high demand regionally and are working at full capacity. However, these professionals meet the necessary qualification requirements of the public institutions.

If you would like to privately finance a home help for senior citizens, you can ask your friends and acquaintances if anyone is interested in such a job. In this case, the suitability of the helper is more important to you than an official qualification.

It may take some patience to find suitable domestic help for senior citizens. Sometimes church communities or other institutions can help you identify suitable people. Regional newspapers are also an option for placing an ad to find domestic help for seniors. Older people often find household help through recommendations from neighbors or acquaintances.

Good to know: Entitlement to aids

The health and long-term care insurance funds offer a wide range of other benefits. Did you know, for example, that you can get an electric scooter free of charge? Many models that travel up to 6 kilometers per hour are covered by health insurance on a doctor's prescription. There are also faster models that can be purchased by self-payers and cost between 1,500 and 5,000 euros.

Over 30,000 other medical aids are also listed in the medical aids directory of the statutory health insurance (GKV). The list of medical aids is a central collection of articles for doctors, health insurance companies and insured persons. The costs of aids such as care beds, bed-raising aids, bath lifts and patient lifts are also covered by health insurance. A co-payment rule of 10 percent applies to these aids, up to a maximum of 10 euros.

Entitlement to care aids for consumption

People with a care degree have the option of care aids for consumption worth 42 euros per month.

With the Hilfe im Paket you can easily choose from a wide range of products and create your own individual package. The billing with your long-term care insurance provider is handled by [the provider/company]. Hilfe im Paket .