Care Responsibility

Counselling and application for care benefits

Since 2009, there has been a right to long-term care counselling; it is provided by the Long-term care support centres, for example, or also by the long-term care insurance fund.

For people with private long-term care insurance, the counselling is provided by COMPASS Private Pflegeberatung.

It is particularly important to submit an application for long-term care insurance benefits to the long-term care insurance fund as soon as possible, as the benefits are provided as soon as the application is submitted. The long-term care insurance fund then commissions the medical service to assess the need for long-term care.

The assessment determines the extent to which the independence of the person to be cared for is impaired by physical, cognitive or mental limitations and what support he or she needs.

The relevant areas of life are mobility, cognitive and communicative abilities as well as behavioural and psychological problems, self-care, dealing with illness- and therapy-related demands and stresses, organising everyday life and social contacts. During the assessment, points are awarded for each area and the care level is then derived from the total number of points - care level 1 means a minor impairment, care level 2 a considerable impairment, care level 3 a severe impairment, care level 4 a most severe impairment and care level 5 the most severe impairment and special care requirements.

The Care Time Act (Pflegezeitgesetz) and the Family Care Time Act (Familienpflegezeitgesetz) set the framework conditions for family-related time off. Thus, there are regulations for short-term work prevention and longer periods of time off as well as wage replacement benefits. The website of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth provides a good overview. Seite des Bundesministeriums für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend. (german)

Family care leave allows partial leave of up to 24 months with a minimum weekly working time of 15 hours per week. It is based on three pillars:

    10-day time off in acute cases with wage replacement benefit.

    Six months of full or partial leave under the Caregiver Leave Act with interest-free loan

    Family care leave with interest-free loan and legal entitlement

Detailed information can be found on the homepage of the Federal Ministry.

For employees

Saarland University has a cooperation agreement with the AWO Saarland, which includes access to a comprehensive range of counselling services and special conditions for domestic services.

According to this agreement, university employees benefit from a wide range of counselling services as well as a partially discounted offer of assistance that is specifically tailored to the concerns of people in need of care and their relatives. The services are provided through the service point AWO zu Hause (at home).

In addition to counselling, the range of services includes care provided by the South Saar and North Saar Social Wards in the areas of nursing, housekeeping and home care and support in the AWO Dementia Café in Saarbrücken, as well as services in the areas of home emergency call, "Menü Mobil" (meals on wheels), "Mobile" (physical and mental activation at home) and care associations. The services are provided on the basis of individual contracts with the university staff. In the area of home help, employees and their relatives receive a reduced rate.

For students

Students can take leave of absence due to family obligations. Part-time studying is another way to gain flexibility.