Around 2.7 million people in Germany are in need of care. New care rates will apply to all of these patients and their relatives from 2017. 70.9% of the 2.7 million people in need of care are cared for at home - that's around 1.9 million people. The remaining 29.1 percent receive full inpatient care in nursing homes. The Federal Institute for Population Research expects the number of people in need of care to rise to 3.5 million by 2030. It has long been clear that something needs to change in the existing care law. What exactly does this mean in detail? This is what care will look like in 2017.

What is the aim of the new care rates in 2017?

The main aim of care from 2017 is to equalize the situation for the physically and mentally disadvantaged. This is because the previous care levels mainly took into account those who were physically affected. With the reform, those affected who are restricted in their everyday lives, such as dementia sufferers, will now also receive more benefits. From 2017, they will receive up to 609 euros more per month.

And what exactly will change from January 2017?

The type and scope of care insurance benefits are to be adapted more closely to the needs of those affected and their relatives. Specifically, this means that instead of the three care levels, which did not take many people in need of care into account, there will now be five care grades. People with mental illnesses are moving much more into focus.

What do I have to do if I already receive care allowance?

Nothing. You should have already received a notification from your care insurance fund at the end of 2016 containing all the necessary information about the new care rates for 2017. You will automatically be classified in the new care level. In concrete terms, this means that people with care level I will now receive care level 2, care level II will become care level 3 and care level III will become care level 4. People with impairments in everyday life will be classified from their current care level to the next but one care level. There is also the new care grade I. This is intended for people who are not yet in need of care but require support in everyday life. These approximately 200,000 people have not yet been taken into account. However, they can submit an application from January so that they will be taken into account for care from 2017.

And what will change for those in need of care in a care home?

Nothing will change for anyone who already lives in a care home. However, anyone entering a facility for the first time in 2017 will have to expect a higher personal contribution. The reason: the amount of the contribution is no longer dependent on the care level or degree of care. From 2017, all new residents will pay the same contribution, regardless of their care needs.

Home care - what's new here?

Good news for all carers who look after their sick relatives at home. They will be given greater consideration in pension and unemployment insurance from 2017. This means that care insurance will pay pension contributions for carers who look after a person in need of care with care degree 2 to 5 at home for at least 10 hours a week, spread over at least two days. For those people who leave their job to care for a patient, the insurance now pays the unemployment insurance contributions for the entire duration of the care.