Care services and nursing homes | Health Portal

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If you need information about nursing homes near your place of residence, start with your local government. If you wish, you can also ask for advice from the Social Insurance Board.

There are usually waiting lists for local government nursing homes, so priority is given to people who need the most care. It is the local government's job to assess the situation and find a suitable solution for the person.

In addition to nursing homes, support may also be provided by personal assistant services or private nursing homes, which can be contacted directly if desired. If necessary, nursing home residents are also supported by a home nurse and family doctor.

An individual care plan is drawn up for each nursing home resident, describing their comprehensive care needs. Both relatives and the local government are involved in drawing up the plan, which is reviewed at least once a year.

If the person or their relatives are unable to pay for the nursing home themselves, the local government will help cover the costs. It is the responsibility of the local government to work with the family to find a reasonable and affordable solution so that the necessary assistance is not denied due to the family's low income.

Important to know!

Nurses in nursing homes deal with minor or moderate health problems. This means that nurses do not solve serious health problems or treat seriously ill patients.

The costs of nursing home care, medication, and medical aids are borne by the person themselves or their relatives.

Important to know!

Nurses in nursing homes deal with minor or moderate health problems. This means that nurses do not solve serious health problems or treat seriously ill patients.

The costs of nursing home care, medication, and medical aids are borne by the person themselves or their relatives.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between nursing care and social care?

Both the healthcare and social care systems are involved in caring for people. Nursing care is not the same as nursing home or other social care services, but there are points of contact between them – especially when a person living in a nursing home has health problems.

Both the healthcare and social care systems are involved in caring for people. Nursing care is not the same as nursing home or other social care services, but there are points of contact between them – especially when a person living in a nursing home has health problems.

The Health Insurance Fund finances nursing care services provided by nursing care contract partners(Opens in new tab). More detailed information about social care services and nursing homes is available from your local government.

The Health Insurance Fund finances nursing care services provided by nursing care contract partners(Opens in new tab). More detailed information about social care services and nursing homes is available from your local government.

Who is responsible for providing assistive devices (walkers, pressure ulcer prevention sheets, etc.)?

If a person in care is unable to purchase personal assistive devices, this is the responsibility of their family.

Assistive devices are reimbursed by the Social Insurance Board (e.g., walkers, pressure ulcer prevention sheets) and medical devices by the Health Insurance Fund (e.g., wound dressings, urinary catheters, orthoses, glucose meter test strips and lancets, etc.). The Health Insurance Fund reimburses medical devices that are included in the list of medical devices and for which the attending physician has issued a digital medical device card for purchase on preferential terms.

With the Social Insurance Board's discount, assistive devices can be purchased if the person has been issued an assistive device certificate and a personal assistive device card, or IAK.

If a person in care is unable to purchase personal assistive devices, this is the responsibility of their family.

Assistive devices are reimbursed by the Social Insurance Board (e.g., walkers, pressure ulcer prevention sheets) and medical devices by the Health Insurance Fund (e.g., wound dressings, urinary catheters, orthoses, glucose meter test strips and lancets, etc.). The Health Insurance Fund reimburses medical devices that are included in the list of medical devices and for which the attending physician has issued a digital medical device card for purchase on preferential terms.

With the Social Insurance Board's discount, assistive devices can be purchased if the person has been issued an assistive device certificate and a personal assistive device card, or IAK.

If a person in care is unable to purchase personal assistive devices, this is the responsibility of their family.

Assistive devices are reimbursed by the Social Insurance Board (e.g., walkers, pressure ulcer prevention sheets) and medical devices by the Health Insurance Fund (e.g., wound dressings, urinary catheters, orthoses, glucose meter test strips and lancets, etc.). The Health Insurance Fund reimburses medical devices that are included in the list of medical devices and for which the attending physician has issued a digital medical device card for purchase on preferential terms.

With the Social Insurance Board's discount, assistive devices can be purchased if the person has been issued an assistive device certificate and a personal assistive device card, or IAK.

If a person in care is unable to purchase personal assistive devices, this is the responsibility of their family.

Assistive devices are reimbursed by the Social Insurance Board (e.g., walkers, pressure ulcer prevention sheets) and medical devices by the Health Insurance Fund (e.g., wound dressings, urinary catheters, orthoses, glucose meter test strips and lancets, etc.). The Health Insurance Fund reimburses medical devices that are included in the list of medical devices and for which the attending physician has issued a digital medical device card for purchase on preferential terms.

With the Social Insurance Board's discount, assistive devices can be purchased if the person has been issued an assistive device certificate and a personal assistive device card, or IAK.

How are nursing services provided on weekends?

The Health Insurance Fund has set a minimum for the provision of services, i.e. services are provided on working days and during daytime hours. At other times, nursing services are provided by agreement.

The Health Insurance Fund has set a minimum for the provision of services, i.e. services are provided on working days and during daytime hours. At other times, nursing services are provided by agreement.

If a nurse performs a procedure on the orders of a doctor, is a doctor's referral also required?

How does the process of certifying death in a nursing home work?

1
The nurse certifies the death in the nursing home and completes a death certificate, which is forwarded to the e-health system (TIS). She informs the family doctor of the death by telephone within 24 hours.
2
The family doctor completes a death certificate, which is forwarded to the e-health system (TIS).
3
After the cause of death has been recorded (by the family doctor), the nursing home can issue a death certificate from the TIS to the relatives so that they can take further action.

More detailed instructions on determining death can be found on the TEHIK (Health and Welfare Information Systems Center) website.

1
The nurse certifies the death in the nursing home and completes a death certificate, which is forwarded to the e-health system (TIS). She informs the family doctor of the death by telephone within 24 hours.
2
The family doctor completes a death certificate, which is forwarded to the e-health system (TIS).
3
After the cause of death has been recorded (by the family doctor), the nursing home can issue a death certificate from the TIS to the relatives so that they can take further action.

More detailed instructions on determining death can be found on the TEHIK (Health and Welfare Information Systems Center) website.