Care in rural areas: challenges and solutions for future-proof care

Demographic change presents our society with major challenges – especially in rural areas. While cities benefit from relatively good access to care facilities and skilled labour, the situation is often different in structurally weak regions. Long distances, a shortage of skilled labour and an ageing population make care more difficult and place an additional burden on family carers.

The conditions in rural areas are particularly challenging for working people who take on caring responsibilities alongside their job and family. The Viva Family Service supports companies and their employees on this path – with personalised advice and tailored solutions.

The special features of rural areas

Rural regions are often characterised by low population density, limited infrastructure and a high number of elderly people. According to a study by the Federal Ministry of Health, around 60 per cent of people in need of care in Germany live in rural areas – and the trend is rising.

There are several characteristics that characterise rural areas: there are fewer care facilities, inpatient care homes and outpatient services are few and far between. Instead, there are long journeys, both for carers and relatives. The availability of skilled staff is low and care staff prefer to stay in urban centres. Relatives receive more support and family members often take on caring tasks without professional support.

These factors make it urgently necessary to create innovative concepts and reliable support services – both for those in need of care and for family carers.

Strengthening outpatient care: Funding projects and models

Various federal states have launched projects to specifically strengthen outpatient care in rural areas. One example is Lower Saxony’s ‘Strengthening outpatient care in rural areas’ (in German) programme. The programme supports the following measures, among others:

• Local care networks for better coordination and communication
• Community nurses and care counsellors who work preventively
• Mobile care centres as flexible care units
• Telecare models that enable digital support

The aim is to ensure nursing care even in places where the distance to the nearest practice or care facility is long. Such support programmes are important steps in cushioning the structural disadvantages of rural areas and establishing new care models.

New professional roles: Community carers as a link

One innovative approach is the new job profile of the community carer (in German), as introduced in Hesse, for example. Community carers work closely with local authorities and act as guides. They visit senior citizens at home, provide advice on care services and aids, coordinate cooperation with doctors, care services and volunteers and relieve the burden on relatives by providing preventative support.

This role combines care expertise with socio-spatial networking – a model with great potential, especially in communities without traditional care services.

Don’t leave people in need of care and relatives alone

Working relatives in rural areas are particularly challenged. They often take on not only the organisation, but also the actual care – often without sufficient support or relief. This results in stress, excessive demands and health risks.

This is where the Viva Family Service comes in. We advise employees of our partner companies on questions such as What care services am I entitled to? How can I find an outpatient service or a care home? Are there local respite services? How can I better reconcile care and work?

Our experts research regional offers, coordinate care solutions and are available as empathetic contact persons – even in complex cases.

Digitalisation as an opportunity: telecare and e-health

One key to improving care in rural areas lies in digitalisation. Projects such as telecare offer new prospects for connecting even remote regions. Possible applications:

• Video consultations with care counsellors or doctors
• Digital care files that relatives and care services keep together
• Care apps that remind relatives of appointments, medication or care tasks

However, implementation is heavily dependent on the regional digital infrastructure. Without nationwide internet coverage, many approaches fail in practice. Political initiative and targeted support measures are needed here.

Regional networks as a success factor

A functioning care network is particularly valuable in rural areas. Successful examples show this:

• Local care conferences bring together stakeholders from the care sector, local authorities and civil society.
• Neighbourhood concepts create support structures close to home.
• Volunteer support groups complement professional care services.

A practical guide to designing such care networks was published in 2022 by the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development: ‘Pflege – Region gestalten’ (in German). It shows how local authorities can set up needs-based services and secure them in the long term.

What you can do yourself: Actively organise care

Even though many structural improvements need to be made at a political level, there are a number of things that family carers and their employers can actively do to improve the situation in rural areas:

For family carers:

• Make use of existing offers: Many local authorities, care insurance companies and charities already offer counselling, care courses or respite services – even if they are not always easy to find. The Viva Family Service will help you to identify suitable offers in your region.
• Network locally: Get together with other family carers – for example in parent or carer cafés, discussion groups or online forums. Sharing experiences can relieve pressure and open up new avenues.
• Talk to your employer: flexible working hours, working from home or carer’s leave models can provide a great deal of relief. Viva supports you in finding suitable solutions together with your company.

For employers:

• Make caring visible: create an open climate in which employees can talk about caring responsibilities – without fear of disadvantages.
• Actively use Viva Family Service: Offer your employees access to individual care counselling, workshops or digital tools for reconciliation.
• Initiate care networks in the company: Exchange formats among colleagues, lunch & learn sessions or internal information events can empower those affected.

Conclusion: Care needs proximity – and support

Care in rural areas is more than just a question of distance. It’s about structures, resources and, above all, people. Working family members must not be left alone with this challenge.

Viva Family Service supports the employees of our partner companies with personalised advice, regional expertise and a network of experts. This makes it possible to reconcile care, family and work – even where care becomes a challenge.