CARE-GIVING IN HOMES FOR THE ELDERLY

At the end of 1994, an Infratest carried out a representative survey i n Germany of the life situation of people with disabilities who live i n a institution. According to the results, about 660,000 people presen tly live in homes for the elderly and about 140,000 in homes for the h andicapped. Impaired mobility is a characteristic feature for the inha bitants of homes for the elderly. However, only two of three inhabitan ts (63 %) have ''need of care'' That means that at least every third i nhabitant will not receive benefits from the new long term care insura nce. 47 % of the inhabitants rsp. 60 % of those with need of care show mental disorders, which points to dementia. The living and life situa tion itself show that in Western Germany only 39 % and in Eastern Germ any only 29 % of the inhabitants of the geriatric units of homes for t he elderly are able to live in a single-bed room. The typical daily li fe normally shows routines, e.g., meal times are preset firmly. Restri ctions such as no own room or front-door keys or no possibilities to k eep pets are common. Therefore, quality control must be directed towar ds the extension of the living and lifestyle options of the inhabitant s in addition to the problems of care giving. The individuality and th e needs of the inhabitants must be the guiding rules for the options a nd procedures in institutions.