Care of Dementia in Austria: How the Care Levels Work

Dementia changes lives - not only for those affected, but also for their families. When Anna's grandfather Alois becomes increasingly forgetful, she is faced with an important question: what level of care will he receive? In this guide, you will find out how the Austrian care system supports people with dementia, which level-of-care when it applies and how to apply for financial aid correctly.

In Austria, around 115,000 to 130,000 people suffer from dementia, and the number continues to rise. This increasing challenge requires clear orientation, especially in the Assignment of care levels forPeople with dementia in Austria. The number of dementia cases is expected to more than double by 2050 (Austrian Dementia Report).

Alois is one of these people. He is 81 years old, physically fit, but has increasing problems with his memory. His granddaughter Anna supports him, but is unable to take over all of his care.

When she enquires about a carer for her grandpa, she quickly realizes that he needs a level of care. But which one?

In Austria, there is a clearly defined system of seven levels of care that supports people with dementia. This guide explains everything you need to know about the care levels, the requirements for care allowance entitlement and additional financial assistance.
 

The care levels are a central element of the Austrian care system, which aims to provide people with care needs with the necessary support and financial support.

The classification is based on seven levels that reflect the degree of need for care. They are primarily based on the amount of time required for care and nursing. At care level 1, there is only a low need for care, while care level 7 is characterized by a very high need for care. 

Application and classification: How dementia patients get a care level

For the classification of dementia patients, there are certain requirements and criteria that take into account not only the physical care needs, but also the Care and supervision needs. Dementia sufferers like Alois are therefore often given a higher ranking to help their increased care needs to be fair.

The classification is based on a medical expert opinion in which the state of health and the need for care of the person concerned are assessed in detail. In addition, a home visit is usually carried out to assess the living situation and the actual care requirements on site.

This thorough assessment is intended to ensure that the level of care meets the real needs of the person in need of care.

This process, as with Alois and Anna, takes place in several steps:

1. application

Anna has submitted an application for care allowance for Alois to the relevant authority. This can be done in writing, by telephone or online.

2. Submission of necessary documents

Along with the application, Anna submitted relevant medical documents, such as doctor's reports and discharge letters, to prove the need for care.

3. Appointment for the home visit

After submitting the application, an appointment could be made for a home visit by a medical expert or nurse.

4. performance of the home visit

During the home visit, Alois' physical and mental abilities were assessed and his care needs were determined, especially in the case of dementia.

5. Preparation of the expert opinion

After the home visit, an expert opinion was drawn up, stating the care requirements and the recommended level of care, which was forwarded to the responsible body.

6th decision and notification

Based on the expert opinion, Anna and Alois received a decision on the level of care and the amount of care allowance.

Everything went well with Anna and Alois and they both agreed to the care level. However, this can be problematic under certain circumstances, especially when it comes to someone with dementia. Those affected are often unaware of their difficulties or don't want to admit them to themselves.

If the expert or carer only speaks to the person with dementia, the actual situation will not be recognized. It is therefore important that the relatives are also interviewed.

Unfortunately, this is not a matter of course and some experts or nursing staff do not issue a care level or issue one that is too low. If this is the case for you, you can lodge an objection within a certain period of time. The need for care will then be reassessed.

In Austria, the classification of care levels for people with dementia is based on the specific care and nursing needs caused by the different stages of the disease. Dementia is divided into three stages:

Mild dementia:

• Memory problems and orientation difficulties
• Minimal support in everyday life
• Classification in care level 1 or 2
   

Middle dementia:

• Increasing difficulty with daily activities
• Need for more extensive help with personal care, nutrition and mobility
• Classification into the medium care levels (3 to 5)
   

Severe dementia:

• Continuous supervision and intensive care required
• Ensuring the safety and well-being of those affected
• Classification into the higher care levels (6 or 7)

This classification takes into account both the physical care requirements and the increased need for care and supervision, which is particularly important for dementia patients. The aim is to ensure that those affected receive appropriate support.

Alois received care level 2 on his first visit because he had increasing problems with his memory but was physically fit. Anna registered with noracares at this time and met Lucille there. She visited Alois several times a week and helped him with everyday tasks such as shopping.

When he began to have more and more problems with everyday tasks after a few years, his care level was increased. This increase in the nursing allowance made it possible for Anna to hire Lucille as a full-time caregiver.

 

The benefits of the care levels in Austria are designed to cover individual care and support needs. The amount of care allowance varies depending on the care level and is used to finance additional care-related expenses:

Care level 1 and 2:

• Performances: Low care allowance to help with light everyday tasks and to cover minor care costs
• Special features: Additional counseling and support services to relieve the burden on family caregivers
• Difficulty allowances: As a rule, no special surcharges yet

Care level 3 to 5:

• Performances: Increased care allowance, which enables more intensive care and support
• Special features: Additional services such as day and night care to relieve the burden on family caregivers and provide better care for dementia patients

• Dementia supplements: Possible surcharges for greatly increased care needs and special difficulties due to dementia

   

Care levels 6 and 7:

• Performances: Very high care allowance to cover the extensive care costs associated with severe dementia and round-the-clock care
• Special features: Entitlement to comprehensive care and support services, including specialized care facilities for dementia patients
• Disability supplements: Higher surcharges due to the extremely high care and support requirements caused by advanced dementia

Anna was able to get care for dementia organize a caregiver, who regularly checks on him. In addition, she has given him a"Meals on Wheels" so that he receives a full meal at least once a day.

So she was reassured and no longer had to worry about her grandpa. As the need for care increased over time, Anna also increased the hours of care.

In Austria, the care allowance is a valuable financial support for people like Alois. It is paid out monthly and is intended to ensure that people in need of care receive the care they need, regardless of their income or assets. The amount is based on the actual amount of care required in hours, divided into seven clearly defined care levels:

Care Allowance Table 2025

Prerequisites: When do you get care allowance? 

Certain requirements must be met in order for care allowance to be granted:

• A permanent care requirement must be present - due to a physical, mental or psychological impairment, such as dementia. The condition must be expected to last longer than six months.
• The affected person must usually live in Austria, in certain cases a claim in the EEA area is also possible.
• The need for care must more than 65 hours per month - i.e. significantly more than just occasional support.

Dementia and care allowance - what's special?

An important regulation comes into play, especially in the case of dementia like Alois: from care level 1, an aggravation supplement is automatically applied - namely 45 additional hours of care per month. This means that the special care required for dementia is officially recognized and taken into account in the classification.

This way, Anna can ensure that her grandpa not only receives emotional support - but also financial help that is appropriate for his situation. And if it all gets too much at some point, she also has the option of apply for caregiver leave - a break from work to be there for Alois.

Family members who care for dementia patients face particular challenges in everyday life. Anna didn't know how to support Alois at first either. However, she has since researched the topic and would like to give you some tips on how she could make everyday life easier for her grandpa:

• Structured daily routine: A structured daily routine helps most sufferers. You can start by ordering meals on wheels so that the person with dementia always gets a full meal at the same time. Home helpers or other carers who regularly visit the person with dementia can also help. Writing down a daily schedule can also help. However, make sure that the plan is not misplaced somewhere and forgotten.

• Clear and simple communication: Clear and simple communication is very important for people with dementia. Try to explain things as easily as possible and avoid confusing stories. Many of those affected suffer from memory loss and become sad or aggressive when they are made aware of a "mistake". In some cases, it is therefore easier to confirm a false memory, for example (as long as there are no consequences for leaving the person with the false belief).

• Patience and understanding: Show understanding for the difficulties of the person with dementia and be patient with them. Even if it can be very stressful, don't hold it against the person affected if he or she forgets a lot, because he or she is not doing it on purpose.

• Include active: Actively involve the person with dementia in everyday activities in order to maintain their independence for as long as possible. The less those affected do, the more lonely they become and the faster the disease progresses. This is why mental and physical activity (as much as possible) is so important for them.

In addition, Anna advises to really make use of support options and not to think you have to deal with the situation alone. Counseling centers and self-help groups can offer emotional support and opportunities for exchange. But caregiver support is also important. noracares helps you to find a suitable caregiver or caregiver. There, the person concerned can also get to know the caregiver in advance and have a say in who they can accept help from.

Caring for people with dementia is often demanding - emotionally, organizationally and in terms of time. This is precisely why it is important that those affected and their relatives are not left to fend for themselves. The care levels in Austria offer a clear structure to provide financial security for these special care needs - which people like Alois also have.

In order for the support to actually arrive, a careful application, a realistic assessment and, above all, the correct classification are crucial. This is the only way to ensure that the care allowance meets the actual needs.

If you are affected yourself or are accompanying someone in your environment: Make use of the available options. Sometimes it takes courage to accept help - but this help can make everyday life much easier and give you new strength.

Are you looking for an empathetic and experienced caregiver for a person with dementia? Register now at noracares and find the right support - flexible, reliable and precisely tailored to your needs..