Upper Austria. At the turn of the year, the Senior Citizens’ Association Upper Austria with regional chairman LH a. D. Josef Pühringer and State Managing Director Franz Ebner Innovations in the nursing reform to ensure long-term care and make it fit for the future.
According to forecasts, the number of people in need of care will increase to 750,000 by 2050, Pühringer calculates. In 1993, when the care allowance was introduced, 299,000 people applied for it. Currently there are already over 470,000 people. “We don’t have time to postpone the issue, it has to be addressed now. That doesn’t mean that nothing has happened so far, but we still have a few areas where there is an urgent need for action, ”said the regional chairman.
“Have experienced how dependent we are abroad”
The corona pandemic also highlighted the weaknesses of the care system in Austria. “We have seen how dependent we are abroad, especially in mobile care,” said Pühringer. 2021 must therefore become the year of care, “because, as Corona has once again made clear, the topic cannot be postponed. We were just about to tip over the care system, that must be a clear warning. “
5,800 nursing staff currently in Upper Austria: Personnel offensive required
One of the central demands of Upper Austria. Seniors’ Association therefore: A staff offensive in nursing. It is forecast that over 100,000 additional nursing staff will be needed in Austria by 2030. By far the largest sectors are those of stationary and mobile care.
In Upper Austria there are currently over 5,800 nurses working in stationary facilities, around 1,300 are working in mobile services. A total of 21,000 people are cared for by the 1,300 mobile nurses, while the nursing staff in the inpatient service look after 15,528 people across Upper Austria.
For more staff in the nursing sector, the nursing profession needs to be made more attractive, the provision of qualified training for all nursing professions, the creation of a teaching profession in nursing training and attractive retraining and further training opportunities for returners and career changers. “Much has already been initiated, but must be driven forward, because it must not become a permanent condition that in some cases even newly built nursing homes cannot be fully occupied because there is a lack of staff,” said Pühringer.
Provision: bonus system required
As state managing director Ebner emphasizes, provision is also a big point, also in order to reduce the costs for care and maintenance. Incentives should ensure a healthy and sensible lifestyle that regular health examinations are made. The Seniors’ Association therefore demands that prevention offers be publicly advertised and a bonus system in health insurance. “Dealing with prevention is also an important austerity program for the state,” said Ebner.
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