Retirement and nursing homes 2 Findings and recommendations 2.1 Retirement and nursing homes 2.1.1 Introduction The NPM commissions visited a total of 135 public and private short- and long-term nursing homes in the year under review; 130 of these visits were unannounced. In December 2018 the Council of Ministers adopted a memorandum for the further development and sustainable safeguarding of nursing care. Amongst others, this included the commissioning of studies on the additional personnel requirements that can be expected and on future forms of care financing as well as consultations with countries and stakeholders regarding the development of an overall concept. However, the political developments from May 2019 onwards took precedence over these issues and blocked the specification of the “Care Master Plan” (“Masterplan Pflege”), which had been originally planned for the end of 2019. The need for reform has been evident for years. There was at least agreement during the election campaign that substantially more funds have to be invested in the care system. Only in this way can the aspiration to humane care be fulfilled throughout the country in a standard, needs-based way and support measures based on local care planning be guaranteed. Urgent need for care reform The care funds and thus the subsidy from the Federal Government to the Laender and municipalities expire in 2021. What will happen after that is unknown; the long-term financing is also unclear. In order to make care at home more attractive, measures in support of nursing relatives have to be implemented, the reconciliation of care, family and career has to be improved and precautions have to be taken against poverty in old age for women. What is essential is a wide range of family relief offers that accommodates both persons requiring care and their needs on the one hand, and does not lose sight of the quality and attractiveness of jobs on the other. In November 2019 a study by the Austrian National Public Health Institute (Gesundheit Österreich GmbH, GÖG) on a “Demand forecast for care personnel” was presented. The calculated demand of 75,700 additional caregivers by 2030 makes the urgency for change unequivocally clear. To relieve the areas of hospital and residential care, stronger integration of health care and nursing in the acute and basic medical care of the elderly as well as expert support for nursing relatives is required amongst others; in particular, for those looking after persons suffering from dementia. Reports from the commissions indicate that the existing places in nursing homes are not being filled due to staff shortages. An appeal must therefore be directed to all those politically responsible parties to bundle and implement the existing, constructive solutions. It will only be 22