Two-thirds of residents in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein believe that care for the elderly and those in need is insufficient. According to a representative survey by the Allensbach Institute, 67 percent of respondents rate the situation in this sector as unsatisfactory. Every second respondent expects further deterioration within the next ten years. Key problems identified include the high cost of nursing home stays and staff shortages. As many as 90 percent of those surveyed advocate for care in Germany to become affordable for everyone.
Critical Assessment by Residents
As many as 67 percent of Schleswig-Holstein residents rate the available social care as unsatisfactory. Half of the respondents predict the situation will deteriorate further within the next decade.
Funding as the Main Challenge
High care costs, especially in residential facilities, are perceived as a fundamental problem. 90 percent of those surveyed demand that care be affordable, and 76 percent believe the funding for long-term care insurance is not secure.
Widespread Staff Shortage
Three-quarters of respondents (76%) cite the lack of personnel as the biggest problem in the care sector. This phenomenon directly impacts the quality and availability of services.
Sense of Systemic Injustice
A vast majority (86%) consider it unfair that, despite paying long-term care insurance contributions for years, they do not receive sufficient support when needed.
Residents of the German state of Schleswig-Holstein express deep distrust towards the social care system. According to a representative survey conducted by the renowned Allensbach Institute on behalf of the health insurance fund DAK-Gesundheit, as many as 67 percent of respondents rate the current care provision as "unsatisfactory" or "completely inadequate." This pessimism goes further – every second respondent (50%) expects the situation to deteriorate further, not improve, within the next ten years.
The German social care system, based on mandatory long-term care insurance (Pflegeversicherung) introduced in 1995, has been grappling with demographic challenges for years. An aging society increases the number of people requiring care, while there is a simultaneous shortage of qualified caregivers and rising service costs.
The survey precisely identifies the sources of public concern. The biggest problem, according to 76 percent of respondents, is the staff shortage. Finances are an equally significant issue. As many as 90 percent of residents in the region advocate for care in Germany to become "affordable for everyone." Three-quarters (76%) are concerned about the financial stability of the long-term care insurance itself, and 74 percent point to the burden that high costs of residential care place on those in need and their families. A key indicator of the crisis of trust is that 86 percent of respondents consider it unfair that, despite paying contributions for many years, when the need for care arises, the system's support proves insufficient. The study, published simultaneously by several major German media outlets, paints a picture of a sector under pressure that fails to meet citizens' expectations in terms of both accessibility and quality.