🧠 Mental strain and self-help for family carers
In brief
Long-term home care is physically and mentally demanding; studies and practice reports often describe exhaustion, lack of sleep and an increased risk of illness among family carers. Besides the relief available under employment and social law, there are specific health services aimed at you as the carer yourself – not at the person in need of care.
Step by step
- Use free care coursesTake part in a free care course under § 45 SGB XI – these teach not only care techniques but expressly also methods for your own physical and mental relief.
- Request individual training at homeYou can also request individual training in the home environment of the person in need of care if attending a course is difficult to organise.
- Consider a preventive or rehabilitation serviceTalk to your GP about an outpatient or inpatient preventive service (health insurance fund, § 23 SGB V) or a rehabilitation service (pension insurance, § 15 SGB VI) if the care visibly affects your health.
- Seek self-help and adviceLocal self-help groups for family carers as well as the psychosocial counselling of care support centres and welfare organisations often offer exchange and relief at short notice.
- Make consistent use of your relative's relief servicesActively use your relative's respite care, relief amount and day care instead of giving up your own breaks out of a sense of duty.
Deadlines
- Spa and rehabilitation services specifically for family carers are handled differently depending on the funding body (health insurance fund vs. pension insurance); the exact eligibility requirements, duration and amount of co-payment in an individual case could not be conclusively verified uniformly for all funds in this research – ask for the current terms directly from your health insurance fund or the Deutsche Rentenversicherung.
- Care courses under § 45 SGB XI are free of charge and independent of your relative's care level – a common misconception is that they are only available at higher care levels.
- This page does not replace psychotherapeutic or medical treatment. In an acute mental health crisis, contact the Telefonseelsorge (telephone helpline, free of charge nationwide) or an emergency practice.
In depth · legal basis, figures and practice – for advisers and professionals
Care courses (§ 45 SGB XI)
Care insurance funds are obliged to offer free training for relatives and other people interested in voluntary care activity. The purpose is expressly "to maintain the willingness to take on or continue home care" and "to make care easier and to reduce physical and mental strain". The courses can be offered as group courses, individually in the home environment or digitally, and are open regardless of care level.
Preventive and rehabilitation services for carers
If the care activity leads to a visible health strain, outpatient or inpatient preventive services from the statutory health insurance fund (§ 23 SGB V) or rehabilitation services from the Deutsche Rentenversicherung (§ 15 SGB VI) come into consideration. According to information that is common in practice but not uniformly officially verified, inpatient preventive services are often approved for around three weeks, with a statutory co-payment unless an exemption applies; the exact terms differ depending on the funding body and should be requested individually.
Advice and self-help
Care support centres (§ 7c SGB XI) offer psychosocial as well as organisational counselling. Welfare organisations (e.g. Caritas, Diakonie, AWO, DRK, Paritätischer) and specialised self-help organisations for family carers run discussion groups and relief services in many places. Exact availability varies by region – see the topic page "Advice and contact points".
A question about your situation that this page does not answer? Write to us or use the contact form – we will tell you which office is responsible and what to bring. Free of charge, without individual legal advice.