[Various aspects of a care system tuned to the requirements of those needing assistance]

The risk of becoming a nursing case dependent on care is one not covered by social insurance in the Federal Republic of Germany. The costs involved have to be borne by the individual needing care, his family or the respective public aid institution. The currently existing facilities for care, especially the nursing homes, are generally not considered acceptable and satisfactory by potential users. Social service provisions outside nursing homes are more widely appreciated, specially on account of the usual desire to retain a more independent and autonomous life style. Most inmates of nursing homes are dependent on public aid, considering the costs of these institutions. Fiscal burdens on public households in connection with providing public aid to persons in nursing homes have increased more than proportionately. Moreover the number of the very old aged who will be nursing cases with a very high probability is increasing. Taking into consideration the interest of the potential users as well as the economic restrictions, the use of existing in-patient nursing facilities in accordance with actual need, as well as the increase of out-patient service stations, seems to make an increase in the in-patient nursing facilities unnecessary. As prerequisite for this, however, in-patient care has to be restricted to those cases really requiring such care, and out-patient services must not altogether neglect criteria of efficiency.