Northern Switzerland Aargau increases supplementary benefits for nursing home residents

The Aargau government is increasing the supplementary benefits for nursing home residents. In order to compensate for higher wages and the increase in material costs, the daily tax will be increased to CHF 200 from next year, as the canton announced on Friday.

The Care Ordinance (Pflv) will be amended on January 1, 2025. The Department of Health and Social Affairs, the Aargau Health Association and the Association of Municipal Councillors had previously calculated the inflation rate for wage costs at 2 percent and for material costs at 1.6 percent.

Until now, supplementary benefits (EL) for nursing home residents have been paid out in a two-tier solution, according to the report. If the first level of CHF 152 daily tax was not sufficient, the EL recipients received a contribution of CHF 190. The lower rate will now be abolished and the contribution increased to CHF 200 for everyone.

Employment of family carers

The Pflv will now also regulate the financing and declaration of the services provided by family carers who are employed by Spitex organizations. In future, Spitex will have to declare on a monthly basis which relatives have provided which services and to what extent.

According to the press release, outpatient specialized palliative care will also be newly regulated. This replaces the previous term oncology because palliative care covers more than just oncological diseases.