Demographic Trends in Germany and current challenges of Senior Citizen Policy

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1 1 Women Federal Ministry and Youth for Demographic Trends in Germany and current challenges of Senior Citizen Policy Dr. Matthias von Schwanenflügel, LL.M.Eur. Head of Directorate General ASEM- Conference, Seoul, 27 October 2015

2 2 Demographic change A shift in the age structure low birth rates and a higher life expectancy Geriatric care About 2.73 mn people are in need of long-term care Facts & Figures 1.93 mn (71 %) thereof are in out-patient care About two thirds of the people in need of long-term of care are exclusively cared for by relatives

3 3 Overview Challenges To manage the Demographic Change Active Ageing - Potential and Challenge To combine Work, Family life and Care Challenge Dementia and Local Alliances Intergenerational Networks LongTermCare Reform Nursing Professions Reform Act Inclusive Housing for Elderly

4 4 Challenge: To Manage a Demographic Strategy To manage the demographic change the federal Government has developed a demographic strategy augmenting pertinent laws and measures for a better coordination of measures and projects to push joint projects in conjunction with partners from the Länder, local authorities, labour & management and business, science and civil society associations Demographic check for new bills

5 Active Ageing The challenge As part of the demographic strategy Germany has to develop the untapped potential of their elderly people Germany is expecting about one million Baby boomers going into retirement; starting 2020 for 10 consecutive years. The German Baby boomers are born between 1955 and Comparatively they are much wealthier, healthier and more active than the former generations. Currently the Ministry is trying to adapt the Active Aging Index for the local level (cities, counties, communities) to identify the untapped potential; exactly were it matters for the Elderly themselves A Round Table organized by the Ministry together with different national associations of our civil society and our local authorities and also the Länder prepares Germany for the challenge of our Baby boomers reaching their After-Work-Life starting

6 6 Challenge: How to combine Work, Family life and Care? Time flexibility and security Reducing bureaucratic burdens and costs New regulations: Familiy Caregiver Leave Act Caregiver Leave Act

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10 10 Alliance for People suffering from Dementia Part of the Federal Government s demographic strategy run jointly by the Family and Health Ministry Alliance of competent people and authorities plus a pooling of initiatives at the federal level in conjunction with the Länder and local authorities, civil society and self-help organisations Objective: Agenda to improve dementia patients and their relatives quality of life Guiding principle: Inclusion, self-determination, participation, UN-CRPD

11 11 Challenge - Dementia facts & figures (WHO) 47 mn people suffering from dementia This number is globally going to triple by 2050 Almost 60% live in middle and low-income countries In 2010, the estimated total dementia care costs stood at US$ 604 bn mn mn about 3 mn

12 12 Local Alliances: Support Networks in the Neighbourhood Model program by Ministry - the agenda s central measures Objectives: Self-determination in social contexts despite dementia Sensitisation of the society to better deal with people suffering from dementia More assumption of mutual responsibility by networking initiatives and measures at the local level Start of the model programme in 2012, currently at 372 sites, by 2016 up to 500 sites nationwide

13 13 Important are local networks: Example: The average multi-generational centre (Mehrgenerationenhaus)* staff 5 (5) permanent employees 39 (34) volunteers 108 users/visitors daily integration and education 10 (9) services (supporting) volunteering 4 (4) services aging and care 5 (5) services household-related services 4 (4) services 81 (73) cooperation partners 67 % female 25 % with a migration background open meeting space open 40 hours (38) during the week 57 (54) users/visitors daily

14 14 Challenge: LongTermCare Reform (Reform of SGB (Social Code) XI) First stage: First Act to Strengthen Long-Term Care 1 (since 1 Jan.2015) Better home care benefits Most benefits raised by 4% A better combinability of short-time and respite care benefits A better combinability of day and night care with in-kind benefits and the nursing allowance First ever part-time institutional and short-time care in-kind benefits for dementia patients with no level of care New low-threshold support to finance household or neighbourhood services Grants for homeimprovement measures (modifications) increased from 2,557 to 4,000 per modification Additional staff for institutional care, benefiting all people in need of long-term care (ratio improved from 1:24 to 1:20) Establishment of long-term care provident funds to cushion any future increases in contributions (caused demographically)

15 LTC Reform (Reform of SGB (Social Code) XI) second stage Second stage: Second Act to Strengthen Long-Term Care in the pipeline: to be implemented during this parliament Introduction of a new need of long-term care concept with a new assessment (Neues Begutachtungassessment, NBA) Five degrees of care replacing three levels of care, thus benefits and services can be better geared to what is actually needed The essential criterion for the degree of care to be assigned will no longer be the time needed for nursing but the degree of autonomy Nor more differentiation between physical impairments and cognitive or emotional impairments (dementia in particular) First-time-ever consideration of the special help and support people suffering from cognitive or emotional impairments need Funding: contributions raised by 0.2 % 2 model projects to test the new NBA The Second Act to Strengthen Long-Term Care will be based on the results 15

16 Current training in geriatric nursing I Training in figures I Trainees in geriatric nursing: 62,355 (+5.04% over previous year) I 10,000 nursing facilities provide training, 740 geriatric nursing schools I Skills shortage (BA-Engpassanalyse 02/2015) I 40 job-seekers for 100 reported vacancies I No shortage in helping professions I Training structure (as per German Act on the Care of the Elderly) I 3 years training ends with State examination I Theory courses: 2,100 hrs / clinical experience: 2,500 hrs I Overall training responsibility: Geriatric nursing school I Training contract between trainee and institution I Statutory requirement to pay an appropriate trainee salary

17 Nursing Professions Reform Act (working title) I Subject of the reform I Merging of training programmes for geriatric nurse, general nurse and pediatric nurse ( generalist programme ) I I I I Vocational training with graduation and certification of expanded practice Consideration of supplementary introduction of academic training (target figure according to German Science Council: 10%) Standardised and equitable financing involving the Laender Free of charge for the trainee I Legislative procedure beginning in 2015 I Leadership shared between Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, & Federal Ministry of Health l Parallel need for improved working conditions I Elderly Care Training and Qualification Drive ( )

18 18 Inclusive Housing - Living in Old Age Demographic change Living independently in old age as a political goal As people age, their own home becomes more and more important elderly people spend more time at home than younger people Risk of isolation and withdrawal as social contacts taper off In addition to friends and family, the setting matters neighbourhood, accessible infrastructure, offerings and services, commitment cooperation and networking among major actors in the setting

19 19 Drop-in Centres for the Elderly Federal programme, term: , approx. 300 projects nationwide Goal: strengthening neighbourhoods, setting up low-threshold services that provide assistance in everyday life Examples: I Conversion/ renovation / furnishing of places of encounter and meeting and information rooms I Assist with picking and organising services in place I Provide shopping transportation and grocery shopping assistance for the elderly I Volunteer qualification and deployment (e.g. assistance with filling in forms, computer courses) I Volunteer visiting and escort services (organisation of everyday life)

20 20 Questions? Contact: Dr. Matthias von Schwanenflügel, LL.M.Eur. Bundesministerium für Familie, Senioren Frauen und Jugend D Berlin Tel.: +49(0) Fax: +49(0)