Plan for Modern Nursing Homes Meets Great Need

PwC has conducted research on the group for whom the nursing home would be a solution and what needs exist within that group. It appears that over 20,000 elderly people would like to move to a modern nursing home, a place with care and support nearby and space for extra companionship and activities. The majority prefers a self-contained apartment over a room with shared facilities. These are elderly people who have a care or support need but do not yet have a Wlz indication. They are mostly single elderly individuals without a social network. For them, a nursing home is not yet an option, but their dependency on care is increasing, and the question is how long they can still live at home. PwC has also researched the costs. It appears that the 470 million available for this purpose is sufficient to implement the plans.

Secretary of State Pouw-Verweij: “Todays elderly attach great importance to maintaining their autonomy, privacy, and independence. However, what I have often heard and seen in practice, and what PwC now also confirms with their research, is that there is a large group of elderly people who actually need a new type of nursing home. For them, living at home is becoming increasingly complicated, for example, due to an increasing care demand, loneliness, or the absence of a supporting network. In the nursing home, they are still encouraged to do as much as possible by themselves and together, but care and support are always nearby. This prevents people who can no longer live well at home from getting into trouble.”

The modern nursing homes must become care-suitable housing where elderly people can live sheltered and safely. There is a shared meeting space and outdoor area, and a central access point. A fixed care provider arranges the care and support in the building, which is available on demand. As the care demand increases, people do not have to move again. An important element for comfortable living in a nursing home is the community with which activities are organized, where there is enough interaction when you go to the meeting space and where cooking and eating can be done together. The neighborhood can also be involved. A vibrant community also ensures that there is a lower demand for care and support, especially if residents can be encouraged to play a role in this.

In the coming six months, the details will be worked out for the eventual introduction of modern nursing homes. The secretary of state is looking, for example, at the organization of care and the deployment of care personnel. With an eye on the labor market, not only care workers are considered, but also the role of welfare workers. Together with the Minister of Housing and Spatial Planning, the construction of care-suitable housing is explored to see how this can be accelerated within the existing tasks. Additionally, the secretary of state is carefully considering how access to this care and support can be best arranged and financed. Finally, it will be explored how a lively community can be best stimulated, both within the new nursing homes and more broadly in caring neighborhoods.