Germany's Care Crisis Deepens as Reforms Threaten Home Support Benefits

Over five million people in Germany rely on long-term care, with most supported at home by relatives. Now, planned federal reforms to statutory health insurance threaten to cut benefits for outpatient services. Experts warn this could push more responsibility onto families while worsening working conditions in the sector. Many older Germans prefer to stay in their own homes as they age. Family caregivers and professional staff already work hard to make this possible. But upcoming reforms may reduce financial support, making it even tougher.

Matthias Fisahn, head of nursing at the Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe in Bremen-Verden, stresses that these groups need stronger political backing. Without proper funding, he warns, the quality of care could decline while the workload on families grows. To help ease the burden, the Johanniter offers a free app called *mitpflegeleben*. It guides users through care tasks, explains benefits, and provides practical advice. The app is available for download at [www.mitpflegeleben.de](http://www.mitpflegeleben.de).

The proposed reforms risk increasing pressure on families and care workers alike. If benefits shrink, reliable home care could become harder to maintain. The mitpflegeleben app aims to support those already managing these challenges.