Managing household chores, daily life, and caregiving can quickly become overwhelming. That’s exactly why home help and in-home nursing care are available. It’s important for you to know, however, that you can only receive one of these two services. A combination of both is not available.
Domestic help - what is it?
The domestic help is a help in the household and everyday life. They perform domestic tasks, but no nursing or medical activities. Domestic helpers take on a wide range of household tasks.
What tasks does a home help take on?
The tasks of a domestic help include:
- Shopping
- Preparation and cooking of meals
- Cleaning the apartment or house
- Taking care of clothes (laundry)
- Care of children who are dependent and live in the household
Professional domestic helpers are trained and skilled in dealing with people and carrying out their daily tasks professionally. The costs for domestic help are often covered by health insurance. Unlike home care, however, home help is not prescribed by a doctor. It must be applied for individually with your own health insurance provider.
Domestic help agencies can support you in this and take care of all the paperwork with health insurance companies or other providers so that you can concentrate fully on your life. The domestic help agency offers an all-round service for every customer. All we need is your necessary documents and we take care of the rest. From advice to support in our 50 local branches.
Costs of domestic help
People with at least care level 1 are entitled to the so-called relief amount of €131. You can apply for this yourself from the insurance companies and use it for your home help. However, you are not completely free to choose your home help. You must hire certified domestic helpers who cooperate with the health insurance fund.
But even if you would like a temporary home help without a care level, you can apply for a large part of the costs to be covered. In this case, you only bear 10% of the costs and 90% are covered by your health insurance.
The following requirements must be met for the health insurance fund to cover the costs of domestic help:
- You are unable to run the household due to an accident or illness or are undergoing inpatient treatment
- You are the head of the household (in the case of married couples, both are the head of the household)
- there is no other adult living in your household who could take over the running of the household
- at least 1 child under the age of 12 or with a disability lives in your household.
Furthermore, pregnant women or new mothers, for example, can apply for household help if they are unable to manage the household due to pregnancy-related complaints or complaints after giving birth.
As a leading domestic help service provider, Agentur für Haushaltshilfe takes care of all communication with health and long-term care insurance companies for you and is there for you personally with over 50 local branches. This means that you only have to worry about your health, the Agency for Home Help takes care of the rest. From advice and processing to the operational management of our qualified domestic helpers. If you would like advice on domestic help, please click here.
Home nursing care - what is it?
People with statutory health insurance can apply for and receive home nursing care. The care is provided in your household or family by suitable nursing staff (e.g. via an outpatient nursing service, a social care center or similar facilities) if this is necessary in addition to medical treatment . Please note the distinction between the terms home nursing care and home care. Home nursing care includes other services than home care. Furthermore, home nursing care is covered by the health insurance funds, while home care is covered by long-term care insurance. Home nursing care is used in addition to medical treatment when
- to avoid inpatient hospital treatment or to shorten the duration of such treatment, or
- hospital treatment is indicated but not feasible (§ 37 Para. 1 SGB V) or
- if it is necessary to secure the objective of the medical treatment (Section 37 (2) SGB V)
- and if the necessary procedures cannot be carried out by the patient themselves or by another person living in the household.
Home nursing care must be prescribed by a doctor in private practice or the hospital after a stay. As a rule, home nursing care is prescribed once. Treatment care can be prescribed on a quarterly basis. Home nursing care can only be claimed if it is provided in the household or family of the sick person or in other suitable places where the insured person regularly spends time. For example, in schools, kindergartens, assisted living facilities or workplaces.
What services does home nursing care include?
Home nursing care includes the necessary treatment care. Treatment care includes the administration of medication, injections, changing dressings and basic care. Basic care includes, for example, personal hygiene, exercise, help with nutrition/care and housekeeping (e.g. cooking, tidying up the home or shopping).
Costs of home nursing care
Home nursing care services are so-called benefits in kind. This means that the outpatient nursing service settles these directly with the statutory health insurance fund and you therefore do not have to pay anything extra directly to the nursing service. However, it is important to know that when choosing an outpatient care service, you must ensure that it has concluded a corresponding care contract with the health insurance fund. If the care service does not have this, you will bear the full costs.
But how much does home care cost? If you are at least of legal age and are not exempt from statutory co-payments, you pay a statutory co-payment. This amounts to ten euros per prescription and ten percent of the actual costs. This applies for a maximum of the first 28 days per calendar year. After that, you no longer have to make a co-payment. Further information can be found in the statutes of your health insurance company.
Conclusion Home help or home nursing care - entitlement, benefits & costs - an overview
You are not left alone. A suitable solution can be found for every person who has a need. Regardless of whether you need home help or home nursing care, please look for qualified and certified companies that can give you the greatest possible degree of security and flexibility with regard to your care. This means that there will be no fluctuations in the level of care, which is important when you need to get well.
For questions about domestic help please read here or contact us directly!
