Pflegegeld glossary

A

Anleitung (bei der Pflege)

Guidance (in care). Standing by and guiding people with a mental or psychological disability counts the same as help with the care task itself.

Source: EinstV § 4 Abs 1

Arbeiterkammer (AK)

Chamber of Labour. The statutory body that represents employees’ interests. It advises and represents its members in court actions (Klagen) about Pflegegeld.

Source: ORF Oberösterreich on the Arbeiterkammer’s Pflegegeld counselling

Arbeits- und Sozialgericht (ASG)

Labour and Social Court. Responsible for the court action against the Pflegegeld-Bescheid. In Vienna it is the Arbeits- und Sozialgericht, elsewhere the Landesgericht (regional court) acting as Arbeits- und Sozialgericht.

Source: Diakonie Österreich: what to know about a court action (Klage) for Pflegegeld

B

Beaufsichtigung

Supervision. Supervision outside individual care tasks only counts when the need without it is already more than 180 hours. Being there is real work, but not automatically care need.

Source: OGH 10 ObS 107/23t

Begutachtung

Assessment visit. An examination by a doctor or a registered nurse (diplomierte Pflegefachkraft), usually at home. It is a snapshot of a need that often varies.

Source: EinstV § 8

Bescheid

Official decision. The written decision of the insurance institution (Träger) on the level of Pflegegeld and when it starts. It has to point out the court action, the deadline and the form.

Source: BPGG § 27

Bundespflegegeldgesetz (BPGG)

Federal Long-Term Care Allowance Act. The law on Pflegegeld: levels, hour limits, amounts, minimum levels and procedure.

Source: Bundespflegegeldgesetz (BPGG, Federal Long-Term Care Allowance Act), current version in the RIS (Austrian legal information system)

E

Einstufungsverordnung (EinstV)

Classification Ordinance. The ordinance with the time values for each care task, the household support tasks and the hardship supplement. For children and young people, the Kinder-Einstufungsverordnung applies.

Source: Einstufungsverordnung zum BPGG (EinstV, Classification Ordinance), current version in the RIS; Kinder-Einstufungsverordnung (Kinder-EinstV, Classification Ordinance for children), current version in the RIS

Erschwerniszuschlag

Hardship supplement. A flat 45 hours per month for severe mental or psychological disability, especially dementia, once the person has turned 15. Older leaflets still give a lower value.

Source: EinstV § 1 Abs 6; BPGG § 4 Abs 5 und 6

F

Folgeleistungen

Further benefits. Other benefits depend on the level, for example the subsidy for 24-hour care and the carer bonus (Angehörigenbonus). If your level is too low, you lose more than the difference in Pflegegeld.

Source: oesterreich.gv.at: subsidy for 24-hour care; PVA: Angehörigenbonus (carer bonus)

G

Gutachten

Assessment report. A medical or nursing report with the care tasks and hours. It is the basis of the Bescheid, but it does not bind the insurance institution. You often have to request it separately.

Source: EinstV § 8; Diakonie Österreich: what to know about a court action (Klage) for Pflegegeld

H

Hilfsverrichtung

Household support task. Shopping, cleaning the home, laundry, heating and mobility help in the wider sense, for example trips to the doctor. Each counts with a fixed value per month, and there is an upper limit in total.

Source: EinstV § 2; BPGG § 4 Abs 7

J

Jahressperre

One-year lock. A new application for an increase within one year after the decision has become final (Rechtskraft) is rejected without proceedings, unless a significant worsening is credibly shown.

Source: BPGG § 25 Abs 4

K

Klage

Court action. The way to challenge the Bescheid. It can be filed without a set form and without court fees; in the first instance you do not need a lawyer. A level that was granted cannot fall because of the court action. In Austria it is not called Einspruch or Widerspruch.

Source: Diakonie Österreich: what to know about a court action (Klage) for Pflegegeld; ASGG § 71 Abs 2; ASGG § 39 Abs 3; ASGG § 80

Klagefrist

Filing deadline. The deadline for the court action runs from delivery of the Bescheid and cannot be extended. If the last day is a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday, the next working day counts. The length is in the guide.

Source: ASGG § 67 Abs 2; ZPO § 126

M

Mindeststufe

Minimum level. For a few diagnoses a minimum level applies, for example blindness. The higher of the two counts: the level from the hours or the minimum level, never the sum. The law calls it Mindesteinstufung.

Source: BPGG § 4a

Mindestwert

Minimum value. The lower limit for a care task, for example daily personal hygiene. More only counts if the effort is considerably higher.

Source: EinstV § 1 Abs 4

P

Pensionsversicherungsanstalt (PVA)

Pension Insurance Institution. The most common insurance institution (Träger): it decides on Pflegegeld and issues the Bescheid. There are other institutions too.

Source: Pensionsversicherungsanstalt (PVA, Pension Insurance Institution)

Pflegebedarf

Care need. The time needed for care and help, in hours per month, counted with a month of 30 days. It must be expected to last at least six months.

Source: BPGG § 4 Abs 1; OGH 10 ObS 47/06v

Pflegegeld

Long-term care allowance. A monthly payment from the federal government towards the extra costs of care. It depends on the care need in hours, not on income or diagnosis.

Source: Bundespflegegeldgesetz (BPGG, Federal Long-Term Care Allowance Act), current version in the RIS (Austrian legal information system); Sozialministerium (Ministry of Social Affairs): Pflegegeld

Pflegende Angehörige

Family carers. Family members who care for someone at home, often alongside a job and their own family.

Source: ORF: study on family carers

Pflegestufe

Care level. One of 7 levels of Pflegegeld. Which one applies depends on the hours of care need per month; the top levels also need a special requirement. The table is on the page “Care levels”.

Source: BPGG § 4 Abs 2

Pflegetagebuch

Care diary. A record over several days: time, care task, whether it was taken over, guided or supervised, duration and who helped. It makes a varying need visible for the assessment visit (Begutachtung).

Source: BPGG § 25a Abs 2 bis 4 (care documentation)

R

Richtwert

Guideline value. The starting value for a care task. The value only changes if the actual effort is higher or lower by almost half.

Source: EinstV § 1 Abs 3

S

Stundengrenze

Hour limit. The limits between the levels are at 65, 95, 120, 160, 180 hours. The law says “more than”: exactly at the limit, the level below still applies. A single care task can therefore decide the level.

Source: BPGG § 4 Abs 2

V

Verrichtung

Care task. A task in caring for someone, for example dressing and undressing, personal hygiene, going to the toilet or meals. Each one has a time value in the Einstufungsverordnung.

Source: EinstV § 1

Vertrauensperson

Trusted person. If you wish, a person you trust is present at the assessment visit and is heard, for example a relative who knows the daily routine.

Source: BPGG § 25a Abs 1

Z

Zustellung

Delivery. The day on which the Bescheid counts as delivered. A Bescheid held for collection at the post office counts as delivered on the first day of the collection period. Delivery starts the deadline for the court action.

Source: Zustellgesetz (ZustG, Service of Documents Act) § 17 Abs 3