Man had to go to hospital

Difficult search for a place in a home for bedridden people

The Braunau hospital had to admit a 74-year-old because no one else could have looked after her at home(Bild: Pressefoto Scharinger/Daniel Scharinger)

In the Braunau district, 21 people are currently in urgent need of a place in a care home. One case from Auberg is particularly acute. A woman there had been cared for by her partner for a long time, but now he too has fallen seriously ill. Both were admitted to hospital. The woman, who is not an emergency case, cannot stay there for long. 

Despite many efforts, the list of hardship cases at the Braunau Social Welfare Association (SHV) has not been getting any shorter for a year. A place in a home is currently urgently needed for 21 people.

Never applied for a place in a home
"In addition to the staff shortage, the mortality rate is currently low. The fact that fewer people are dying in care homes is very pleasing, but the list of hardship cases is not getting any shorter as a result," explains SHV Managing Director Karin Altmüller. It can take several weeks for a place to become available in one of the seven homes in the district.

Markus Köchl has been looking for a care place for his wife's aunt for weeks.(Bild: Pressefoto Scharinger/Daniel Scharinger)

Markus Köchl from Auerbach is also waiting impatiently for a place to become available. Not for himself, but for his wife's aunt: "She has been retired for many years due to a nervous disorder. After breaking her foot, she has been bedridden for some time. But because her partner looked after her, she never applied for a place in a care home."

Partner had to go to hospital
Now the 72-year-old had to go to hospital due to severe pneumonia. His partner, who had been left alone, had to go with him. "Because it's not a medical emergency, the hospital doesn't want to and can't keep her for long," says Köchl, perplexed.

The list of hardship cases has been very long for a year now. This is due to a lack of staff and a currently low mortality rate.

Karin Altmüller, SHV-Geschäftsführerin

Short-term care would cost 5000 euros a month. However, the monthly care allowance and the woman's pension only amount to a total of 2,400 euros. Her small home does not have a dedicated room for the carer to provide 24-hour assistance. SHV boss Altmüller: "We are aware of the case of the woman from Auberg. However, she has only been on our list for two weeks and we are doing everything we can to find her a place in a home as quickly as possible"