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Organizing Care in Stuttgart

Apply for care level, benefits and support

Progress0 of 11 steps completed
11 Schritte · ca. 8 Minuten0%

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Step 1

Recognize care needs & document

🚨
Frist: Start immediately · Don't sugarcoat anything! Show real daily life, not the 'good day'. Every undocumented limitation can cost money.

Before applying for anything: Keep a care diary! Document daily life for at least 7-14 days – mobility, personal hygiene, memory, behaviors. Without this documentation you'll lose money later.

📄 Required Documents

💡 Tips
  • What counts as need for care? Help needed with hygiene, nutrition, mobility, memory
  • First signs: Forgetfulness, unsteady walking, problems dressing/washing
  • Care diary: Note time, activity, help needed, duration
  • Also document nighttime help!
  • Photos of living situation can help
Step 2

Apply for care level

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Frist: Immediately – benefits from application date · Benefits are NOT paid retroactively! Every day without application is lost money. Apply immediately!

Submit the application to your care insurance (= your health insurance). The application can be informal – a short call or letter is enough. From the day of application you're entitled to benefits!

📄 Required Documents

💡 Tips
  • Care insurance = health insurance (AOK, TK, Barmer, etc.)
  • Informal application is enough: 'I hereby apply for care insurance benefits for...'
  • Note the date of call/letter – entitlement starts from then!
  • Application can also be submitted by relatives
  • After application you'll receive forms by mail
Step 3

Prepare for MDK assessment

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Frist: Appointment will be communicated by care insurance · This is where most people lose money! Show real daily life, not the 'good day'. Relatives should be present.

After the application, an assessor from MDK (Medical Service) or Medicproof will come to your home. This assessment decides the care level! Preparation is crucial.

📄 Required Documents

💡 Tips
  • Relatives MUST be present – they know daily life!
  • Show the bad day, not the good one
  • Have all aids ready
  • Don't tidy up specially – show reality
  • 6 assessment modules: Mobility, Behavior, Self-care, Illness, Daily life, Social
  • Appointment can be rescheduled if needed
Step 4

Check decision & appeal

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Frist: 1 month after decision · Deadline for appeal: 1 month! After that it becomes very difficult. Appeal costs nothing and is often worth it.

You'll receive a decision with the care level. Check carefully: Is the care level too low? Then file an appeal within 1 month! It's often worth it.

📄 Required Documents

💡 Tips
  • Always request MDK assessment – you have a right to it!
  • File appeal in writing
  • Justification: What wasn't considered?
  • Attach care diary as proof
  • Free advice from social associations (VdK, SoVD)
  • About 30-40% of appeals are successful!
Step 5

Choose care allowance or benefits in kind

Now comes the core financial decision: Care allowance (if relatives provide care) or benefits in kind (if a care service comes). A combination is also possible!

⚠️You can adjust the choice at any time – test what works for you.
After care level decision💰 0 € (du bekommst Geld)

📄 Required Documents

💡 Tips
  • Care allowance 2025: Level 2: €347, Level 3: €599, Level 4: €800, Level 5: €990
  • Benefits in kind 2025: Level 2: €796, Level 3: €1,497, Level 4: €1,859, Level 5: €2,299
  • Combination benefit: Part money + part care service
  • Adjustment possible at any time – notify care insurance
  • With care allowance: Advisory visit mandatory every 6 months (level 2+3) or 3 months (level 4+5)
Step 6

Organize care (outpatient)

Now daily life begins: Find care service, apply for aids, adapt apartment. Much is paid by care insurance!

⚠️€40 monthly for care aids (disposable gloves, disinfectant etc.) is available to you – often forgotten!
As needed💰 Meist Kostenübernahme durch Pflegekasse

📄 Required Documents

💡 Tips
  • €40 care aids allowance monthly – just apply!
  • Home emergency call: approx. €25/month, care insurance often pays
  • Care bed, walker etc.: Prescription from doctor → care insurance pays
  • Home adaptation: up to €4,000 subsidy per measure
  • Compare several care services – quality varies!
  • Care service Stuttgart: Use comparison portal
Step 7

Use relief benefits

€125 monthly relief amount is available to you – almost always forgotten! Plus: Respite care and short-term care for breaks.

⚠️Relief amount doesn't expire immediately – can be saved until June 30 of the following year!
Usable at any time💰 0 € (Leistungen der Pflegekasse)

📄 Required Documents

💡 Tips
  • €125 relief amount monthly (all care levels)
  • Usable for: Household help, supervision, daily accompaniment
  • Respite care: up to €1,612/year when caregiver is absent
  • Short-term care: up to €1,774/year for temporary home placement
  • Respite + short-term care combinable = up to €3,386
  • Relief amount can be saved up!
Step 8

Combine care & work

Caring relatives have special rights at work: Care leave, family care leave, time off. Your employer must make this possible!

⚠️Inform employer early! You have a legal right to care leave.
10 days before start of care leave💰 0 € (ggf. Lohnersatz)

📄 Required Documents

💡 Tips
  • Short-term work absence: take up to 10 days immediately
  • Care Leave Act: up to 6 months leave (unpaid or partial)
  • Family care leave: up to 24 months part-time possible
  • Care support allowance: wage replacement for up to 10 days
  • Protection against dismissal during care leave!
  • Advice: Care support center or social association
Step 9

Use care counseling

Care counseling is free and even mandatory when receiving care allowance! Use the care support centers in your city for individual advice.

⚠️Advisory visit with care allowance is mandatory – otherwise money can be reduced!
Every 6 months (level 2+3) / 3 months (level 4+5)💰 0 €

📄 Required Documents

💡 Tips
  • Care support center Stuttgart: Free on-site advice
  • Counseling §37.3: Mandatory with care allowance, but also brings benefits!
  • Care advisor also comes to your home
  • Topics: Benefits, aids, relief, home adaptation
  • Social associations (VdK, SoVD) also advise for free
  • Care insurance must offer counseling
Step 10If outpatient care is no longer sufficient

Nursing home / short-term care

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Frist: As needed · Personal contribution in nursing home can be €2,000-3,000/month. Plan early!

When care at home is no longer possible: Nursing home or short-term care. Care insurance pays a part, but a personal contribution remains.

📄 Required Documents

💡 Tips
  • Short-term care: Max. 8 weeks/year, e.g. after hospital
  • Care insurance pays: Level 2: €770, Level 3: €1,262, Level 4: €1,775, Level 5: €2,005/month
  • Personal contribution: Accommodation, meals, investment costs
  • Care assistance (social welfare) if money isn't enough
  • Children only have to pay from €100,000 annual income
  • Visit and compare several homes!
Step 11For permanent impairment

Apply for disability ID

Many care recipients are also entitled to a disability ID. This brings important benefits: tax allowances, dismissal protection, additional vacation, parking benefits and more.

⚠️Care level and disability degree are different things! Apply for both separately.
Possible at any time💰 0 €

📄 Required Documents

💡 Tips
  • From 50% disability degree = disability ID
  • Markers G, aG, H, Bl, Gl bring additional benefits
  • Tax allowance: 50% = €1,140, up to 100% = €2,840/year
  • 5 days additional vacation for employees with severe disability
  • Apply at Versorgungsamt Stuttgart (Fritz-Elsas-Straße 30)
  • Retroactive determination also possible!
  • Combination with care level often increases disability degree

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do I have time?
Sofort beginnen
What does it cost?
0 €, 0 €, 0 €, 0 €, 0 € (du bekommst Geld), Meist Kostenübernahme durch Pflegekasse, 0 € (Leistungen der Pflegekasse), 0 € (ggf. Lohnersatz), 0 €, Eigenanteil variiert stark, 0 €
What happens if I miss the deadline?
Beschönige nichts! Zeige den echten Alltag, nicht den 'guten Tag'. Jede nicht dokumentierte Einschränkung kann Geld kosten.

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