Subsidies in relation to care
People who have made a conscious decision through their career choice to support those who need help can access various forms of support and funding, such as 24-hour care funding - and we think this is at least as laudable as the state support for those in need of care itself.
Fortunately, there is a wide range of financial support and social benefits, which are described in more detail below:
A minimum of six months of professional experience is often required to gain the necessary competencies in care that require professional care.
Funding for caregivers
Of course, subsidies for care workers and those for people in need of care should not be put on the scale. Nevertheless, there are a number of allowances and bonuses for nursing staff in the healthcare sector, as well as individual social benefits provided by the employer, which make the job significantly more attractive.
Difficulty allowances
Personal assistants whose working environment is extraordinarily difficult compared to the usual working conditions receive so-called hardship allowances from the employer.
This can refer to both physical and psychological stress in the care environment. For example, nurses in intensive care units are awarded up to €3,600 per year for their work.
Dangerous goods
This subsidy from the employer is also almost exclusively limited to hospital nurses. In this case, a contribution is paid for those ward nurses who are exposed to particular dangers on duty due to harmful effects, such as radiation.
Night allowances
Night shifts are part of everyday life, especially in nursing professions - after all, nursing care never takes a break. If something should happen at night, the nurses are there immediately, just like during the day! It is therefore not unusual to work a 12-hour shift or a 24-hour shift, or simply to start the shift in the evening.
The amount of the night allowance varies greatly from institution to institution. On average, there is a bonus of around €35 per night worked. The financial support is certainly a motivation for many nurses to volunteer for night shifts.
Domestic apartments
Company apartments are a particularly attractive social benefit offered by the employer - and it is not uncommon for them to be offered. Particularly in urban areas, caregivers who are employed in facilities have the option of accessing affordable accommodation.
No, the company apartment is not provided to the employee free of charge - at least not as a rule. However, the relief is significant and the distance to the place of employment is significantly small:
Nurses pay an average of €200 per month for company housing near a hospital or nursing home. Savings both for the wallet and for leisure time!
Corona premium and 24-hour care support
In the current situation in 2020, in addition to the various allowances for care workers, there are bonuses that are intended to reward their commitment during this demanding time. The amount of the payment depends on the type of nursing profession and the number of hours worked. This applies to those who live and work in Austria.
In addition, 24-hour nursing staff who have extended their rotation by four weeks receive a bonus of €500 (a so-called "stay-there" bonus), as can be read in the following article: Bonus payments
Nursing leave
Care leave allows carers - usually family members or immediate relatives - to take 1-3 months' absence from work, during which time their pay is suspended by the employer. It can only be applied for once and is purely an agreement between the employer and the employee.
However, there is one exception:
If the health condition of the person in need of care deteriorates by at least one care allowance level (the explanation can be found in the bottom paragraph under "Care allowance"), the carer may apply for leave again.
Government payments during this time
are available to caregivers for a maximum of 6 months.
You can find out more about caregiver leave in this read this article.
Funding for people in need of care
Many people simply cannot afford to apply for the appropriate level of care benefits for their needs and are dependent on subsidies and grants from the state or on support from family and dependants.
There is also an article that takes a closer look at the problem of financing: Finanzierungsprobleme.
Followed by the different types of support designed to make everyday care much easier:
Care allowance
The state level care allowance is provided to compensate for or even cover additional financial expenses arising from the need for care. The care allowance is intended for those people who want to and can remain in their familiar environment - i.e. their home or that of their relatives or family members. To ease the financial burden in this situation, a set lump sum is paid out depending on the care level.
The seven different levels of care need, the care levels, clearly differentiate the amount of care or support required by the person concerned and the associated funding. From €157 per month (level 1) to €1,688 per month (level 7), every type of need is represented.
It is worth noting at this point that around two thirds of people receiving care are in care levels 1-3. Only in the rarest of cases is care level 7 applied for and approved.
Care level 3 is one of the most frequently requested care levels. For this reason, we have dedicated a separate article to this level.
The special thing about this type of funding: The funding amounts to a certain sum, which is granted completely independently of income and assets - everyone has the same opportunities and rights to it!
Replacement care
Financial support is also available if people with care needs and/or disabilities have to do without their carers due to leave, illness or other incapacity. However, this only applies if the carer is a direct relative or family member of the person in need of care.
The 24-hour care grant helps to cover the necessary costs for replacement care.
The financial support from the state is intended to cover the costs of replacement care. The amount of support corresponds to the duration of the replacement care requirement - you can apply for the additional payment for a minimum of 7 days and a maximum of 4 weeks. A special regulation applies to children and dementia patients: for them, the lower limit is only four days.
Subsidies for assistive devices
Subsidies are also available for necessary aids and home adaptations. The application for this must be submitted to the responsible regional office of the Ministry of Social Affairs or to the rehabilitation provider before the purchase. People who have to incur expenses due to impairments can apply for funding from the Support Fund for People with Disabilities.
Nora's conclusion
The fact that the list of financial support in the industry is so extensive shows how well our healthcare system works and how lucky we are to be able to request potential support from all sides.
Of course, there is always room for improvement somewhere, but in Austria, the state always offers its residents - be they independent caregivers or care seekers - some kind of relief.
Isn't it nice when you can look at the topic of care and support in a more carefree way? Become part of our community and together we can make the world of care a little better - here.
