Care and Support

The need to care for and support elderly people is no longer the exception today, and has become a central issue in Austrian social policy.

Not only people in need of care, but also their caregiving families and relatives require support, because they are taking on a great burden and making an extremely valuable contribution to society. Caring for someone at home is undoubtedly a great challenge for all those involved.

Depending on the health, living and family circumstances of the person, every care situation is different. In addition, financial conditions and the housing situation play an important role.

In order to obtain deeper insights into the everyday lives of caregiving relatives, particularly in care at home, but also in residential homes, the Institute of Nursing Sciences in cooperation with the Institute of Sociology of the University of Vienna were commissioned to carry out the study Care Provided by Family Members in Austria. On the basis of this study, it can be assumed that around 801,000 persons are involved in the informal care and support of a person in need of care at home, while 146,000 carry out such informal care work in residential long-term care settings. These figures include the main carer, but also other persons from among the families and friends of the person being cared for. These 947,000 represent around ten percent of the Austrian population.

The Report on Long-term Care in Austria informs its readers about fundamental facts, but also about new developments in the field of long-term care.

Information on the range of residential and care homes available can be viewed on the website of the Infoservice of the Ministry of Social Affairs.