The role of assistive technologies in home care delivery in Germany: between vision and reality

Germany is facing significant challenges in meeting the demand for care against the societal background of advanced population ageing. The use of assistive technologies is considered an important element in solving care worker shortages and in enabling older people to ‘age in place’. Today, 80 per cent of Long-Term Care Insurance (LTCI) beneficiaries are being cared for at home. In this light, the lack of a clear government strategy on Assistive Technologies (AT) for home care is amazing. Various central government departments work with varying, partly conflicting objectives. While social care is strictly regulated by legislation, AT are only beginning to make their way into legal frameworks. Three prerequisites for a successful integration of AT into home care delivery are identified in this chapter: 1. nationwide fast and reliable Internet access; 2. a clear central government strategy for integrating AT into legislation governing social care; and 3. co-creation of AT by scientists/engineers and their intended user groups.