24-hour care with support from Eastern Europe. Good idea or illegal?

Many people in need of care do not want to go to a nursing home. But many caregivers also wish to experience the last stage of life together with their relatives in their own home. Depending on the degree of care needed, this is no easy task. Neither mentally, nor physically, nor financially.

A household help or caregiver from Eastern Europe, who lives in the house or apartment and assists, is a conceivable and, compared to models established in Germany, inexpensive solution. But is it legal? What about communication? And what does it cost? We asked Lieselotte Mainz, a personnel recruiter for caregivers and household helpers from Eastern Europe and a cooperation partner of famPLUS for the Cologne/Bonn area.

Mrs. Mainz, Eastern European household helpers. That sounds like the language barrier could be the biggest challenge? Do the ladies speak German?

Sometimes this can be a problem. There is no language test for household helpers and caregivers, like the one that au pairs, for example, have to take. However, my partner agency in Poland checks and assesses the German language skills of each woman upon hiring. Many women have also been working in Germany for many years and speak quite good German.

Is it legal to hire a 24-hour caregiver from Eastern Europe? 24 hours a day, seven days a week – but doesn't the German Working Hours Act prohibit that?

That's true. But in fact, the ladies do not work 24 hours around the clock. Usually, it is five to six hours. During the remaining time, they are merely on standby. Often, an outpatient care service also comes into the house so that they have professional support in caregiving.

However, this is all a gray area. It is estimated that over 80 percent of Eastern European women are illegally placed. These workers are then uninsured, poorly paid, and the conditions under which they have to work are generally not the best. I would advise everyone to stay away from these "black sheep." On the website of the BHSB (Federal Association for Home Senior Care e.V.) (Link: http://www.bhsb.de ) you will find a list of reputable placement agencies. They have all signed a voluntary commitment. This includes exemplary conduct towards customers, caregivers, and competitors as well as fairness, transparency, and quality.

How long do the ladies stay at a time? It is often heard that female workers from Eastern Europe can only stay for three months at a time before they have to return home.

The context text "One cannot speak of 'must' here. They do not have to return, but as a rule, the women have family in Poland and want to go back home after at most three months. For this reason, many only conclude contracts with a maximum term of three months. But after a certain time at home, they are also happy to return to Germany. As a customer, you have to be prepared to have a different caregiver from time to time. However, for some customers, we also arrange 'pairs' who alternate every six weeks.

What about the mobility of the caregivers? Do they have a driver's license to, for example, take the person in need of care to the doctor or run errands?

Household and care assistants from Poland are often women who are older. Many of them do not have a driver's license. But that does not mean they are not mobile. They then simply do many things on foot or by bicycle. Or they are driven by the family members of our clients.

However, there are now more and more female students who come from Poland to Germany during their semester break to work as household and care assistants. Many of them have a driver's license.

What conditions must be met by the person in need of care in order to hire a household and care assistant from Eastern Europe?

What is very important is that a room is available in which one would also like to live. In addition, a bathroom or at least access to one must be provided, and naturally food and drink within normal limits. Not to be underestimated: a contact person. The ladies need someone they can turn to if there are any difficulties. I, as the mediator, can only provide supportive assistance.

What does it cost to hire a household and care assistant from Eastern Europe? How are they insured and who pays for that?

You quickly reach 2,000 euros per month. As for how the ladies are insured, I can only speak for my agency. There are so many models. Listing them all would go beyond the scope of the interview. And here, too, there is a gray area again.

In my case, my clients enter into a service agreement with my Polish partner agency, which in turn pays the women. I receive a commission and have flat rates depending on the client and the scope of the assignment, which I then settle with the agency in Poland. However, I am the point of contact for the clients. 

What does the long-term care insurance cover?

Unfortunately, nothing. Which I personally find very unfortunate. Even if the person being cared for has a care level, they do receive the care allowance and can use it for payment, but care benefits in kind can only be billed if an outpatient care service is involved. The federal government knows that we could no longer manage care without these ladies from Eastern Europe. However, there is still no subsidy, and I haven't heard of any changes in legislation.

How do I know that I/my dependent relative will personally get along with the caregiver? What if the two are not compatible?

You never know that beforehand. Again, it is important to turn to reputable providers. If everything takes place via the internet, the likelihood of a mistake is high. I always visit my potential clients first and create a requirements profile with them. I send this to my partner agency in Poland, and together we then choose a suitable lady.

I have been involved for 10 years. I have worked in care for many years myself. I have known many of the ladies for years, greatly appreciate their work, and can usually rely on my gut feeling and experience.

How quickly can you arrange a caregiver?

Most of the time it works within 14 days. That may sound like a long time at first—especially when you hear that other agencies promise to arrange it within three days.

In most cases, however, it is already foreseeable in the long term that support will be needed. For example, when an older person has broken something. From the actual fracture to the time he or she comes home again, several weeks pass – hospital, rehab. Four to six weeks quickly pass by. A dementia illness also doesn't announce itself at short notice. Two weeks are enough as a lead time for arranging care.

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