Focus on Strategy

Without Family Members, Elder Care Would Be Impossible

Provincial Councilor Christian Dörfel (ÖVP, right) and Martin Gruber, Head of the Department of Care and Support and Executive Director of Caritas Upper Austria.(Bild: Land OÖ)

They are the state’s largest “care service”: Without family members, providing care for approximately 40,000 Upper Austrians at home would be virtually impossible. The state therefore wants to ease the burden on families even further.

About 40,000 Upper Austrians who receive long-term care benefits are cared for and supported at home. Without family members, this would be nearly impossible to manage. They take on a significant portion of the care, thereby enabling many people to remain in their own homes for as long as possible despite their need for care.

“Family caregivers are the largest caregiving force and a cornerstone of Upper Austria’s social fabric,” says State Councilor Christian Dörfel (ÖVP). Not only does this dedication deserve recognition, but families must also be given tangible relief. And that is precisely why the state is making this a priority in its Care Strategy 2040, the State Councilor announced on Tuesday: Among other measures, mobile services are to be further strengthened and day care expanded.

Both measures are intended to give family caregivers more breathing room in their daily lives. In addition, there will be more accessible counseling services and so-called “caring communities,” where networks are designed to provide support with everyday tasks. One thing is clear: Despite ongoing efforts, the care sector will rely even more heavily on the help of family members in the future.