"Community Nurses"

Dispute over costs for care advice in Salzburg

Delaying a trip to an old people's home is the goal of many senior citizens. Special mobile care workers ("community nurses") are on hand to advise them.(Bild: Tschepp Markus)

The Salzburg state government parties ÖVP and FPÖ reject criticism of the lack of funding for the "Community Nurses" project for the elderly. One argument is that the municipalities have to help pay for it, as is also the case in Styria. 

The "Community Nurses" prevention project is shaky , as reported. Until the end of the year, the EU will pay for around 30 care workers who help senior citizens in 32 municipalities to live independently for a long time.

From January 2025, the federal government will take over two thirds - the municipalities have now been told by the state that they should pay the rest. Hallein Mayor Alexander Stangassinger (SPÖ), among others, criticized that they do not have this money. In Hallein, five of the ten (part-time) consultants working on the project are facing redundancy.

Beds in the home are blocked
The statements made by the head of the town were sharply rejected on Friday by Andreas Schöppl (FPÖ) and Wolfgang Mayr (ÖVP). The two members of the provincial government parties turned the tables: Stangassinger wanted to divert attention from the lack of staff in the local retirement home, where 62 beds were empty. According to Schöppl, more consultants "would not alleviate the situation".

Contributing organizations report the opposite. Michael König, Managing Director of Diakonie Salzburg, explained: "Counseling can significantly delay the move into a retirement home, which is the most expensive option."

The black-blue club leaders are calling for the municipalities to help pay for the project, as the province of Styria has recently decided.