Cost of nursing home or residential care?

Family, Education, Health and Pets
1
I've been looking into the cost of nursing home (residential or assisted living) care here in Switzerland - if any of you have first hand experience of how things work here, could you perhaps supply a reality check, let me know if I have understood how the system here works?

So, from what I've read, assuming I've understood...

First there is the Grundtax, (also called Hotelerie, Pensionspreis) the cost of the room or accommodation, this is fixed a daily fee. This includes meals, but does not include care services.

In a Gemeinde-run Altersheim, this cost may vary based on one's citizenship or permit status, and on whether one is a Gemeinde or canton resident. In a private residential facility, this tends to be a fixed daily fee depending on the type of room or accommodation.

In either case, this is paid for wholly by the patient. (Correct, incorrect?)

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On top of the cost of accommodation, there is the cost of care: the Pflege-, Behandlungs- or Betreuungszuschlag. This is also a per day rate, and is dependent on the level of care required. There are 12 levels of care. This costs is split (at fixed rates) between the patient, his/her insurer, and the Gemeinde/Canton - but the later only kicks in if the patient's resources - and his/her immediate family's resources - fall below a certain level. (Correct? Incorrect?)

The Pflege-, Behandlungs- or Betreuungszuschlag seems to be the same across all facility types, private and public. Is this regulated by the canton?

Also - the portion paid by the insurance - does this come from the Grundversicherung? If so, are there supplementary insurances one can purchase that would increase coverage?

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Then there are incidental charges.

And of course doctor's care is separate. Medical care (as opposed to living assistance or occupational therapy) would fall under one's normal insurance policy.

Do I have this right? Or even close?

Many thanks.

2
You got it about right. It is very complicated that's for sure and costs a huge amount- my parents savings disappeared in the 2 years they were there. However, if the person who needs care has no money, the K/Canton picks up the tab (with if I remember right a 7 year gap in case they donated their assets to children or relatives) but each C/Kanton has their own rule. Our friend from Bern was told HE would have to pay for his mother when her money run out!

3
If I've understood the cost structure (and done my sums correctly ), it looks like costs would run ca. 4000 per month if the Gemeinde picked up a portion, and a whopping 10-12,000 per month where the patient (and family, along with the patient's insurance) pays the tab. (Do these numbers sound right?)

So it looks like one needs to budget in the six figure range per person per year for residential care. Not only for one's self and one's spouse, but also potentially for one's parents.

Ouch.

Out of curiosity, do any of you know what the expected salary for an at-home live-in care assistant - perhaps not an RN but a health care or rehab assistant - might be?

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Moral of the story: Save your pennies and Rappen, folks! One needs a pretty hefty sum put aside - because none of us know what the future might bring.

4
If you and your spouse are together, you'd be better off paying for someone to come to your house to care for you in your home rather than going into a care facility. You'd probably be happier as well.

But yes, those are whopping numbers.

5
Save.... as my parents did, and all their money went towards their care.

My father was furious as in the small 'Home' where there were they were probably the only ones paying full whack- as they had savings. Others had either spent it all or given it in time to their children - and paid nothing.

6
I don't know if this helps or not, but I was reading in the paper the other day a special programme Caritas was running to help elderly stay in their home at an affordable price. I recall it was just starting or still a bit in test phase but promising. It involved bringing trained workers from Romania for something like 2700 a month for 3 months, which was equivalent to a full years wages in Romania. I found it curious that they seemed to have some deal with bringing workers and perhaps skirting the normal swiss procedures. Not sure how it all works, but maybe contact Caritas or local social workers.

7
I know people paying the 10 -12,000 per month.

One thing to check if you are asked to contribute; there is an annual salary level & you only have to pay if you exceed that. There are 2 rates one for a single person & one for a family.

I believe this salary level varies from Kanton to Kanton.

Almost worth thinking about a salary reduction if you are near this level