Better living with care - step by step to the right care home

She was a sociable lady who loved to chat with friends and neighbors on her daily walk through the park. But then she fell in the stairwell of her rented apartment, resulting in a complicated fracture to her hip joint. Initially, her relatives cared for Gerda Meyer, but were soon overwhelmed by this 24-hour task. "I didn't know where my head was anymore. I have a family with children and a job myself. Since the fall, I've had no time off, no breaks, no vacation. At some point, I just couldn't do it anymore," recalls 50-year-old Claudia Meyer. The family council decided to look around for a suitable care facility, even though Gerda Meyer, like many people in need of care, was afraid of giving up her beloved home and moving to a completely new environment.

Are you and your family in a similar situation right now? Are you also struggling to make the right decision for your beloved parents or grandparents? Regardless of whether they need care relatively suddenly, like Gerda Meyer, or more gradually, as in the case of dementia, for example - like most relatives, you are probably not adequately prepared for this situation and are facing it for the first time.

In general, a retirement home is the better choice for you if

• Your relative has few contacts but would like to have more contact,
• the home is not suitable for outpatient care,
• you do not live nearby or have no capacity,
• the need for care is very high
• or progressive dementia is present.

And remember: a new home in a professionally and lovingly managed care facility can also be an opportunity for a new, positive phase in your life, which, in addition to care, also offers plenty of socializing as well as physical and cultural activities. "At first I couldn't imagine that I would settle in, but everyone here is very nice to me. I do my exercises every day, bingo is on the agenda in the afternoons and I was even able to go to the theater again recently," reports Gerda Meyer.

From financing care to choosing the right care facility and moving, this step-by-step guide will help you to complete the formalities smoothly and make the right decision for a care facility that is a good fit for your relative.