Ambulantly Supervised Residential Communities

In recent years, numerous ambulantly supervised residential communities for people in need of care have emerged in the Oberberg district. A residential community with care and support services is an association of up to twelve people in need of care living together in a household. Currently, there are 25 residential communities with care and support services in the Oberberg district, comprising a total of 261 places. This housing form is not currently offered in Bergneustadt and Gummersbach. The majority of these offerings are predominantly focused on people with dementia.

Care and support in the form of 24-hour assistance are provided by an outpatient care service. In most cases, the organization of the residential community is also handled by the care service. However, there are a few residential communities where the residents or their relatives organize the living arrangements themselves.

This form of living provides a complementary alternative to fully inpatient long-term care because it offers round-the-clock care in a more familial environment. Considering that care and support staff must be available around the clock, the costs for staying in such a residential community are not significantly lower than those of a stationary care facility. The care insurance fund provides care benefits in kind (depending on the level of care required, varying amounts) and relief services amounting to €131.00. Additionally, there is a care group allowance of €224.00. These benefits are insufficient to fully cover the costs. An unmet need remains, which must be covered by one's own income and assets.

It is possible to apply to the responsible social assistance provider for the assumption of uncovered costs within the framework of assistance for care if one's own income and assets are insufficient.

Assistance for care is a social assistance benefit under the Social Code (SGB) XII. Social assistance can generally only be claimed if the economic requirements (income and asset situation) are met.

To claim assistance for care, an application must be submitted. Responsibility for processing such an application lies with the Oberberg district, Department of Social Affairs. During processing, the income and asset situation of the applicant (and, if applicable, the spouse/partner) is examined to determine whether one's own income or assets must be used to cover the need or whether other primary claims exist.

The decision of the social assistance provider is based on the information provided during the application process. Furthermore, the department is entitled to conduct further independent investigations to clarify the facts. The applicant is obliged to provide complete and truthful information.

Contact persons at the Department of Social Affairs of the Oberberg district, Moltkestr. 42, 51643 Gummersbach: