Care representative of the Federal Government Dr. Andreas Westerfellhaus visits ASB facility "In Wieblingen alt werden".
How do we manage to get people excited about nursing? This question was addressed at the "In Wieblingen alt werden" facility by Dr. Andreas Westerfellhaus, the Federal Government's representative for nursing care, Thorsten Müller, a graduate in nursing care, and Alexander Föhr, the CDU candidate for the Heidelberg/Weinheim parliamentary seat. "It is not easy to recruit qualified personnel or even trainees for nursing care," explained Joachim Schmid, managing director of ASB Mannheim/Rhine-Neckar Region at the on-site appointment. That concerns also the mechanism "In Wieblingen alt werden", he said. "We offer a complete package here," he adds, "from inpatient care to short-term care, assisted living and day care." The gentlemen also took time for a conversation with resident Inge Schroeder, who reported on her everyday life in the facility "In Wieblingen alt werden". She very satisfied here, she explained.
Bad image and poor pay?
"It's not always because of the money," Westerfellhaus explains. Rather, he says, the desire among many nursing professionals for more support and more staff is much greater. Particularly during the Corona pandemic, the workload was enormous, Müller affirms. Many would have worked to exhaustion and also taken a beating when Corona outbreaks occurred in homes. "We can't take it anymore," he often heard. Yet many would return to work if the general conditions changed. The focus, Westerfellhaus and Müller agreed, is on the staffing ratio. "People want reliable working hours, a functioning vacation schedule and, above all, time for their tasks," Westerfellhaus said. In addition, he said, reasonable and sufficient pay is a matter of course. "We pay according to the collective wage agreement and offer other benefits," Schmid emphasizes. This is exemplary, says Westerfellhaus, but there are still major differences both from state to state and from facility to facility.
Care - an important topic for the future
"Our society is facing huge challenges," said Föhr. In Germany in particular, the focus is on care and pensions. This was also, but not only, due to demographic developments; younger people could also be dependent on support and care, for example after an accident or a stroke. In this context, Föhr also called for less bureaucracy. "All the procedures and applications are often far too complicated for those affected and their relatives," he stressed. "On the one hand, we need sensible, nationwide digitization," Westerfellhaus also demands, "but also always keep an eye out for individual solutions." The care reform is still at the beginning, "it's a bird in the hand," says Westerfellhaus, "but we have to continue. The grand coalition agreed on the nursing reform at the beginning of June 2021. Among other things, all nursing staff are to be paid according to collective agreements in the future. To finance this, the federal government is to provide an annual subsidy of one billion euros for nursing care insurance from 2022. However, this will not significantly reduce the home residents' own contribution.
Training in nursing - Better than its reputation
The generalized training program for registered nurses, which will be introduced in 2020, will significantly enhance the value of the profession. In addition, the pay is right: "Our trainees already receive over 1,000 euros gross in their first year," explains Joachim Schmid. In addition, nursing professions have a secure future, all those involved agreed. We have high expectations for future training," emphasizes Westerfellhaus, "but you have to be able to afford it financially.
Dr. Andreas Westerfellhaus was appointed the federal government's long-term care representative by resolution of the federal cabinet in March 2018. He represents the interests of those in need of care and is the contact person for all those involved in care. He is also involved in all legislation, ordinances and other important projects relating to care. Dipl. Pflegewirt Thorsten Müller is on the board of ASB Mannheim/Rhine-Neckar Region. The nationally recognized care expert has several teaching assignments and lectureships.
ASB Mannheim/Rhein-Neckar operates five senior citizens' homes in the Rhine-Neckar district as well as a senior citizens' advisory service and offers for outpatient care services, day care and assisted living. In the "In Wieblingen alt werden" facility, 50 places are available in the senior citizens' home for fully inpatient care, 19 apartments are offered in the assisted living sector, and 15 places are available in day care. Fek