Outpatient care

The majority of people in need of care in the Oberbergischer Kreis live in a home environment and are cared for and looked after there. If care is provided entirely by family members or close relatives, the care fund pays a care allowance from care level 2. The amount of the care allowance varies depending on the care level. The following amounts are currently paid:

The benefits of the care fund are only available to people who are insured for care. People in need of care who are not insured for care have the option, depending on their personal financial circumstances, to receive care allowance of a comparable amount within the framework of assistance for care provided by the social welfare office.

People in need of care in a home environment also have the option of using the services of an outpatient care service to perform the care. Depending on the care needs, the care service visits the person in need of care at home once or several times a day and performs nursing activities. For the use of the outpatient care service, the care fund provides so-called care benefits in kind from care level 2. The amount of the care benefits in kind varies depending on the care level. The following amounts are currently paid:

It is often the case that the benefits of the care fund are not sufficient to fully meet the care needs. In such cases, depending on the personal financial circumstances, it is possible to claim assistance for care. If such a claim exists, the costs that exceed the care benefits in kind are covered by the social welfare office.

Additionally, within the framework of outpatient assistance for care, the application for care aids, an emergency call system, or home environment improvement measures may be considered.

Assistance for care is a social assistance benefit under the German Social Code (SGB) XII. Social assistance can generally only be claimed if the economic conditions (income and asset situation) are met. To claim assistance for care, an appropriate application must be submitted. Responsibility for processing such an application lies with the Oberbergischer Kreis, Department for Social Affairs. During the processing, the income and asset situation of the applicant (and possibly the spouse/partner) is examined and assessed as to whether priority must be given to using own income or assets to cover the needs or if other priority claims exist.

The decision of the social welfare office is based on the information provided during the application process. Furthermore, the office is authorized to conduct further investigations to clarify the facts. The applicant is obliged to provide complete and truthful information.