Everything you need to know and helpful advice when a family member requires care.
Discover the care consultation from CAIR.
The sudden need for care or support for a family member can be overwhelming and initially raises many questions. However, obtaining the relevant information should be the least of the problems. Appropriate care consultation is crucial, and for this reason, this guide offers a clear guideline for the first steps to be taken when a family member suddenly needs care. From identifying the need to selecting the right care options, you will find valuable advice and a step-by-step guide in this manual to make this transition as smooth and pleasant as possible.
If a family member, friend, or acquaintance needs support in daily life due to an unforeseen event such as a stroke, heart attack, illness, or accident, it is first important to correctly assess the situation and initiate targeted further steps.
In everyday work life, it can quickly become challenging to find enough time to search for a suitable solution for care or nursing services. As an employee, you have the option to take up to 10 days of unpaid leave to organize the care. To avoid getting into financial difficulties, you should apply for care support money from your care insurance.
Next, you should contact a care consultation. These are available free of charge at care support centers (local information and counseling centers for people in need of care or their relatives) or other counseling centers, such as care insurance or health insurance. In Germany, there are numerous contact points that support you with advice and assistance.
Your care or health insurance as well as your local social authority will help you find the appropriate care consultation. Once you have found a care consultation, they will create an initial needs analysis with you and determine your assistance and support services.
Since 2017, Germany has had five care levels that determine the support needs of a person in need of care. Depending on the limitations in daily life, the appropriate care level is assigned.
From minor impairments (Care Level 1) to severe limitations (Care Level 5), there is appropriate care and suitable support services for every need.
The assessment process for classification into care levels in Germany is a detailed procedure that focuses on the independence and abilities of the person in need of care. To determine the correct care level, the Medical Service of the Health Insurance (MDK) conducts an assessment. The evaluation process can be divided into six (6) modules:
- Mobility
- Cognitive and communicative abilities
- Behaviors and psychological issues
- Self-care (e.g., personal hygiene)
- Handling disease-specific/therapy-related requirements - - Design of daily life and social contacts
The respective modules have different weightings and specific questions. During the assessment, the MDK asks questions, and the answers are later converted into points. The points achieved determine which care level the person receives.
This summary gives a quick look and key facts for every level of care.
Care level 1 is assigned to individuals who, although limited in their independence or abilities, have a lower need for support. It involves a minor impairment of independence.
Individuals with care level 1 are entitled to relief amounts, counseling services, and benefits such as day or night care that they can utilize. Care allowance for home care is not yet granted at this level.
The person must be limited in their independence or abilities to a certain extent, but not to the extent that comprehensive care is necessary.
An assessment is conducted by the Medical Service of the Health Insurance (MDK) or other independent experts.
Care level 1 is assigned when a score of 12.5 to 26.5 points is achieved in the assessment.
Care level 2 is assigned to individuals who already experience more significant impairments to their independence.
Individuals with care level 2 are entitled to care allowance, in-kind care benefits, combination benefits, relief offers, as well as aids and measures to improve living conditions.
The person must have significant impairments in independence or abilities.
Classification into care level 2 is done after an assessment by the MDK or another expert, when a score of 27 to 47 points is achieved in the assessment process.
Care level 3 is intended for individuals who have severe impairments in their independence or abilities.
This level offers higher benefits than the previous levels, including care allowance, in-kind care benefits, full-time inpatient care, adaptation of the living situation, and special care offers.
The person must demonstrate severe impairments in their independence or abilities.
If the person achieves a score of 47.5 to 69 points in the assessment process of the MDK or another expert, they receive care level 3.
Individuals with care level 4 suffer from the most severe impairments to their independence or abilities.
They receive higher financial benefits and more comprehensive support than the lower levels, including full inpatient care and specialized aids.
To be classified as care level 4, an assessment by the MDK or an evaluator is required. A score of 70 to 89 must be achieved for classification.
Care level 5 is for individuals with the most severe impairments to their independence and additional complex care needs.
The support services include maximum care allowances and benefits, full inpatient care, comprehensive adaptations to the living space, and specialized care aids.
Individuals must have the most severe impairments and additional complex care requirements.
If the person in need of care achieves a score of at least 90 points in the assessment process by the MDK, they receive care level 4. A maximum of 100 points are awarded in the assessment process.
In Germany, there are various types of care to ensure individual and appropriate support for everyone.
24-hour care in Germany refers to a care model where care staff live around the clock in the home of the person in need of care. This means that the cared-for person has an assistant by their side day and night. However, it does not mean that work is done 24 hours a day. This approach ensures constant care and help, making it ideal for elderly individuals who need more intensive support. The goal is to receive support with everyday tasks such as dressing, washing clothes, or preparing meals. The great advantages are the personal and individual care as well as the emotional support in one's own home.
With the Cair App, you can easily find suitable 24-hour care. If you have further questions about 24-hour care or the app, check out our FAQs.
In outpatient care, those in need of care are cared for in their own homes by professional care services or relatives. The advantage of this type of care is that those in need of care can stay in their familiar environment, which is particularly beneficial for mental health. However, a disadvantage can be the high coordination effort and possibly inadequate professional care compared to an inpatient facility.
Partial inpatient care offers care temporarily during the day or night in a specialized facility, while those in need of care spend the rest of the time at home. This relieves caring relatives and promotes the social contacts of the person in need of care, but can be associated with logistical challenges such as transport and adaptation to different care environments.
In full inpatient care, those in need of care are cared for around the clock in a nursing home. This type of care is particularly suitable for people with severe care needs or complex health problems, as constant medical monitoring and professional care are ensured. The disadvantage is the loss of the familiar home environment and possibly higher costs.
Intensive care is aimed at individuals who, due to serious illnesses or after surgeries, require particularly intensive medical and nursing care, often including life-sustaining measures. The advantage is the highly qualified care and monitoring of the person. But there is a strong dependency on caregivers, and the constant oversight means limited personal space.
Palliative care focuses on relieving pain and other distressing symptoms in people with incurable diseases. It aims to improve the quality of life for patients and their families. An advantage is the comprehensive support in physical, psychological, and spiritual matters, while a disadvantage can be seen as the emotional burden of the approaching end of life.
Care support services in Germany include financial support, professional care services, and counseling offers. These measures help those in need of care to stay longer in their familiar environment and thus promote their independence. The flexible adaptation of services, such as care allowance, in-kind care benefits, and combination benefits, enables individual care according to specific needs.
Here is an overview of the financial support from the care fund by care level for the year 2024.
* Respite care and short-term care have been converted into the relief budget in the latest care reform. The two support services have been combined, and from 01.07.2025, individuals with at least care level 2 will have a relief budget of 3,539.00 € available. An exception applies to individuals who have not yet completed their 25th year of life and have a care level of at least 4. They can already access a relief budget of 3,386.00 € in advance.
The combination benefit in care is an option in Germany that allows those in need of care to combine both in-kind care benefits and care allowance. This model offers flexibility and allows the benefits to be adapted to individual needs. In-kind care benefits include professional care services by approved providers, while care allowance represents financial support for relatives or other non-professional caregivers who take on the care.
Example: A person in need of care with care level 2 wants to receive 70% of the in-kind care benefit and 30% of the care allowance. In this case, the person in need of care receives 532.00 € (760 € * 70%) in in-kind care benefits and care allowance worth 99.60 € (332 € * 30%).
Care costs can be claimed for tax purposes in Germany under certain conditions and requirements, thus providing a way to create financial relief for those in need of care and their relatives.
The deductible care costs include expenses for medical care, necessary care aids, medications, trips to doctors or therapists, as well as costs for necessary modifications to the living space. Expenses for outpatient or inpatient care facilities can also be claimed.
It is important to carefully keep all receipts and proofs and to determine the exact amount of the deductible care costs. These costs can be specified in the income tax return as part of extraordinary burdens or as household-related services. However, individual tax circumstances and changes in tax law should always be discussed with a tax advisor or financial expert to ensure that all possibilities for tax relief are optimally utilized.
After reading the information from our guide, you can use the following checklist to guide your next steps:
1. Submit an application to the care insurance
2. Assessment and classification of the care level
3. Search for information on subsidies after finding suitable care
We are happy to support you with any questions about care and care personnel. Just send us a message at info@cair-app.com
Get more information about care support centers in GermanyInformation from the Federal Ministry on care allowanceInformation from the Federal Ministry on in-kind care benefits
We answer the frequently asked questions.
If you have any more, write to us.
You can download the app for free from the App Store and also register for free.
You can cancel the caregiver free of charge after 7 days.
You can conveniently pay by bank transfer, PayPal, or credit card.
You can check here if you are entitled to care allowance.
We are currently in the beta testing phase. Currently, we are only accepting caregivers to ensure that you can easily find your suitable care in the future, without an agency.
Sign up now in advance for the waiting list and be the first to use the Cair App. Presumably, you will be able to make your first booking in August 2023.
