Many people have come under massive pressure due to the multiple crises. The aid organizations that are part of the Federal Association for Free Welfare (BAG) know people’s concerns firsthand. Day after day, in their work, they see how burdened many people are and what burdens them – and where a new federal government must provide relief.
BAG sees care as a central political question
“Austria is voting in a situation in which many see the future as anything but rosy. More than half of people in Austria are pessimistic. The question of the future of care leads to great uncertainty: 57% are worried about who will care for them or their relatives in old age. Only one in five (20%) believes that people in need of care are currently receiving enough support and that political activities are sufficient to ensure good care. Almost half say that the topic is relevant to their voting decision.
But to this day, the question of care is completely underrepresented in political debates. Care and support is not a political fringe issue; it affects 1.5 million people in Austria – either because they themselves or because relatives need care. As BAG, we expect the political parties that will govern Austria in the next five years to take care of the future of care and to propose concrete and constructive solutions during the election campaign.” (Maria Katharina Moser, Director of Diakonie Austria and currently Chairwoman of the BAG)
BAG to finance care
“Due to demographic developments, securing the budget for care and support is not a sprint, but a marathon. We can only give this to people who need care and support now or soon in the future if appropriate financial resources are available. At the same time, we also need to implement system reforms. The patchwork of responsibilities in Austria in particular complicates the situation enormously. Structural reforms not only make sense, but also help to use financial resources where they can be spent better and more effectively.
Our urgent appeal: In the next legislative period, a solution must urgently be found for the necessary financing and thus also for planning. Even despite structural reforms, it will not work without an adequate increase in the budget for care and support!” (Anna Parr, Secretary General of Caritas Austria)
BAG on the reform of care allowance
“The care allowance was a social policy milestone when it was introduced in 1993. Since then, millions of people have used it and used it to finance care services. Now it is getting old and needs reforms. Because it focuses primarily on compensating for illness-related deficits rather than securing existing resources. And the social needs of people in need of care are also not taken into account when classifying the care allowance. Therefore, the next federal government needs to reform the nursing allowance that also covers prevention and health promotion services, the classification criteria and time values must be revised, the training of the assessors must be improved and their assessments must be appropriately rewarded. The urgently needed reform should adapt the care allowance to the needs of people in the 21st century.” (Erich Fenninger, Director of Volkshilfe Austria)
BAG on personnel requirements
“As part of its care reform packages, the federal government has set an important course to improve the staffing situation in the care sector. A lot of things are already being implemented, some things still need to be implemented. But we are far from finished. The well-known figures on future personnel requirements in nursing speak for themselves. The next federal government has big tasks and must continue to work consistently on the issue, otherwise we will go under with flying colors,” warns Elisabeth Anselm, managing director of the Austrian Relief Organization. “We are all the more astonished at how little the parties campaigning for the election have said so far about the issue of care and nursing staff given the extent of the challenge,” states Anselm.
As examples of urgently needed further measures, Anselm cites the offer of more needs-based and, above all, more part-time training formats, better regional coordination of training offers, more speed and strength in the implementation of measures to attract nursing staff specifically from third countries and the improvement of the framework conditions for them Work of nursing and care workers. This includes, for example, the further development and financial consideration of adequate assumptions regarding staffing ratios and workload specifications, the creation of scope for relationship management and teamwork, the courageous reduction of bureaucracy and intelligent digitalization for more efficiency and security – also and especially at the interface to the healthcare system.
BAG for caring relatives
“A million people in Austria take on the care and support of their relatives. Thanks to your support, 80 percent of all people in need of care and support can stay at home and do not have to go to inpatient care. Family caregivers are the largest nursing service in the country. They do hard physical work every day, often have to put their own needs aside and suffer from high financial burdens. The future government must not leave them alone with their problems. Sufficient support offers and financial help are urgently needed, as are long-term reforms in order to take due account of demographic change and the associated increasing burdens on caring relatives.” (Gerry Foitik, Federal Rescue Commander and member of the management of the Austrian Red Cross)
BAG calls for measures to ensure security of supply for people in need of care
“There are already supply bottlenecks for people in need of care. We all – Caritas, Diakonie, relief organization, Red Cross and Volkshilfe – know the desperate calls from people who are looking for a place in a home or someone to come home and help. They are increasingly ending up on waiting lists. The question of what do I do if a relative needs care is a great burden for families. As BAG, we expect the parties campaigning for the election to provide concepts to ensure long-term supply. Simply expanding the existing system is not enough. Currently the options are: either home or mobile home nursing. But that’s not always what people need. Some need care for several hours a day, especially if they have dementia. For others, care would only help at night. Short-term care is a big topic, including day centers and visiting services. Needs-based solutions close to home are needed.” (Maria Katharina Moser, Director of Diakonie Austria)