Care for the elderly in crisis

“Have to take in those who need it more urgently”

Maria Balogh became more mobile again. She and her relatives benefit from the emergency solution in Oberndorf.(Bild: Tröster Andreas)

(Bild: Stefan Boness)

Oberndorf takes in senior citizens with a low level of care in a retirement home because there is a shortage of nursing staff. Other municipalities are critical of filling empty care home rooms in this way.

Relatives like Ingeborg Balogh are delighted. The pensioner from Oberndorf was given a room for her mother (86) in the local retirement home. In the fight against empty beds that cannot be filled due to a shortage of carers, the town welcomes "easy" cases.

"Hope the example sets a precedent"
They put little strain on the home's staff. In addition, the city earns money because it finally fills empty rooms again. "I hope that this example sets a precedent for other elderly people and their relatives," says Ingeborg Balogh. She had hardly dared to leave the house because her mother was at risk of falling.

50 empty beds due to staff shortage in Hallein
"We have to take in those who need it more urgently. Because they have enormous problems in their everyday lives," says Hallein's SPÖ mayor Alexander Stangassinger in response to an inquiry from "Krone". In the town of more than 21,000 inhabitants, around 50 of 144 beds in the Red Cross retirement home are empty due to a lack of staff. Nursing staff are currently being sought in India, Colombia and the Philippines.

Where the model would work despite the staffing situation, it could be considered.

Kay-Michael Dankl, designierter KPÖplus-Vizebürgermeister, Salzburg

Different positions in Salzburg
The Oberndorf model is also not an issue for Salzburg Social Welfare Councillor Andrea Brandner. Many care home beds are empty, although there are around 250 elderly people on the waiting list. Brandner emphasizes: "Our aim is to increase staffing levels so that we can take care of the most urgent cases." "Where the model would work despite the staffing situation, it could be considered," says designated KPÖPlus Deputy Mayor Kay-Michael Dankl.

The reasons for the staff shortage in retirement homes in the province are excessive demands, a lack of minimum staffing ratios and insufficient pay. This Friday, at the annual KPÖ "Care Festival" in Salzburg's Jazzit, nursing staff are calling for politicians to respond to their proposals. SALK nurse Bettina Prohaska was even placed second on the KPÖ list for the National Council elections.