Guide
Respite care by the hour
A free afternoon or your own doctor's appointment: how family carers can use respite care by the hour and the combined annual budget of up to 3,539 euros.
The most important facts in plain language
We visit older people at home. We talk, play games, read aloud and go for walks. This gives the family time for themselves. The care fund often pays for it. Call us on 07121 159 10 58.
Company and relief
Companionship care for seniors at home
Our companionship care for seniors gives your relative company and gives you, as a family carer, a reliable break. From care level (Pflegegrad) 2, the long-term care fund (Pflegekasse) pays up to 3,539 euros a year for this through respite care (Verhinderungspflege), and from care level 1 the relief allowance (Entlastungsbetrag) can be used. We bill the fund directly.
up to 3,539 € per year from care level 2
Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm
Who is entitled to companionship care for seniors?
For the long-term care fund to pay, your relative needs a care level. Which benefit fits depends on the care level and on whether family members otherwise provide care at home.
Respite care from care level 2
Family carers need breaks: for their own doctor's appointment, for a holiday, when they are ill themselves or simply to catch their breath. Respite care under § 39 SGB XI covers these times. You need at least care level 2. The former six month waiting period no longer exists.
Hourly respite care is particularly well suited to our visits. If it is less than eight hours a day, it does not count towards the maximum of eight weeks per year, and the care allowance (Pflegegeld) is not reduced. Our guide to hourly respite care explains everything you need to know.
Relief allowance from care level 1
The relief allowance of 131 euros a month can also be used for companionship care, from care level 1. We explain how it works on our page on household help for seniors with a care level.
No care level yet?
Then an informal application to the care fund is worthwhile, a phone call is enough. Our checklist for families shows the signs that your parents need more support. Our guide on applying for a care level explains how the application works.
What do we offer as everyday companions?
Our everyday companionship (Alltagsbegleitung) is based on what your relative enjoys and what does them good. A dedicated carer comes at regular times. This builds trust, and the visit becomes a fixed point in the week.
- Walks in the neighbourhood or in the park
- Games such as cards or board games
- Reading aloud from the newspaper or a book
- Listening and conversation
- Accompanying them to appointments, for example the doctor or the hairdresser
- Care at short notice when family carers are unavailable
Our carers are trained and covered by social insurance, accident insurance and liability insurance. If your carer is on holiday or ill, we arrange a replacement.
Good to know: we are not a nursing service. We do not provide personal hygiene or handle medication, but on request we put you in touch with a nursing service. If hourly care is no longer enough, we can also arrange 24 hour live-in care.
What does companionship care cost?
In most cases you pay nothing extra. We bill the long-term care fund directly and help you with all applications.
Combined annual budget: up to 3,539 euros from care level 2
Since 1 July 2025 there has been a combined annual budget (Gemeinsamer Jahresbetrag) of up to 3,539 euros per calendar year for respite care and short-term care (Kurzzeitpflege) under § 42a SGB XI. You can divide it freely between the two. If you do not need short-term care, the full amount is available for hourly companionship care.
Other options
- Relief allowance: 131 euros a month from care level 1, no separate application needed
- Conversion entitlement (Umwandlungsanspruch): from care level 2 up to 40 percent of care benefits in kind (Pflegesachleistung), for example up to 318.40 euros a month at care level 2; any care allowance received at the same time is reduced proportionally
- Private: hours beyond your entitlement
In the free first conversation we work out which combination makes sense for your family. With private insurance, reimbursement depends on your policy.
How to arrange companionship care
No application is needed for the relief allowance. For respite care, we step in by the hour, bill the care fund and help you with the paperwork.
Get in touch
Call us on 07121 159 10 58 or write to us using the contact form. Outside office hours our AI phone assistant Vera takes your message.
Check the entitlement
In the first phone call we check which benefits your relative is entitled to.
Meet at home
During the home visit we get to know your relative and talk about preferences, routines and appointments.
Care begins
A dedicated carer comes at the agreed times. We handle billing directly with the care fund.
Frequently asked questions
What is hourly respite care?
A carer stands in for the family carer for a few hours, for example during a doctor's appointment or for a free afternoon. If it is less than eight hours a day, it does not count towards the eight weeks per year, and the care allowance is not reduced. It is paid from the combined annual budget of up to 3,539 euros.
Do I need a care level for companionship care?
For the fund to pay, yes. From care level 1 you can use the relief allowance, from care level 2 respite care as well. If there is no care level yet, we explain how to apply for one.
Will my relative have a dedicated carer?
Yes, your relative gets a dedicated carer with regular appointments. A familiar face matters a great deal, especially for older people. If the carer is on holiday or ill, we arrange a replacement.
How quickly can care start?
After your call we get back to you promptly for the first conversation. When care starts depends on whether a carer is available near you. We tell you honestly what to expect.
Where do you offer care for seniors?
In the Reutlingen district, the Tübingen district, the greater Stuttgart area and the Lake Constance district (Bodenseekreis). We can tell you on the phone whether your town is included.
Related guides
Guide
Applying for a care level
From the first call to your care fund to the decision: how to apply for a care level and prepare well for the assessment.
Guide
Checklist: do my parents need help?
Overflowing letterbox, empty fridge, cancelled visits: our checklist helps you recognise signs that your parents need support and start the conversation gently.
Talk to us, with no obligation
We advise you free of charge, check what your fund will cover and tell you honestly what is possible. Call us or send us a message.