system. Within this closed system, power relations and unilateral dependencies are pre-programmed, even though the goal should be to prepare clients for the regular or intermediate labour market and therefore ultimately see them depart. In light of the CRPD requirements, the Laender (which largely bear the costs) and the provider organisations themselves need to acknowledge their obligations and be willing to break up organisational links between residential structures and work structures. These are structural problems which exist independently of concrete situations. Persons with disabilities are often very satisfied with their circumstances, though in view of their socialisation they may not be familiar with any other type of experience. In the NPM’s opinion, the fact that the realm of work and the residential realm are closely interlinked both spatially and in terms of the operator organisation is no longer appropriate to today’s conditions, and should – also from the standpoint of the CRPD - undergo scrutiny. In its statement to the NPM, the Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Consumer Protection agreed that persons with disabilities who are residents of assisted living and housing facilities should not be dependent on simultaneously attending a particular day structure. Federal Ministry agrees with NPM  Arrangements whereby living and working environments are interlinked tend to make dependencies more entrenched.  The individuals involved find themselves in a closed system which may hinder personal development and the exploring of potential.  Persons with disabilities in old age also need to be able to live self-determined lives. However, strict requirements regarding attendance at day workshops are an obstacle to this. 2.4.2.3. Right to a self-determined life, also in old age During their visits to various day centres and day workshops for persons with disabilities, the commissions were alerted to the particular problems of elderly people at these facilities. Several heads of such facilities spontaneously commented that they were confronted with the situation of having to offer day programmes specifically for elderly persons with disabilities which would be suitable to age-related physical changes. After years in which the individuals involved had successfully found their roles in the work process, the goal now was to gently introduce changes and open up new perspectives appropriate to their needs. This was presenting difficulties and required additional resources. As a consequence – unless the increased needs for care could be met - elderly people with disabilities would have to leave their current places of residence and be transferred to retirement and nursing homes. At any rate, attending 82