Sometimes care at home is not enough for a while, for example after a hospital stay or when you fall ill yourself. Short-term care (Kurzzeitpflege) exists for times like these. Here you can read what the law says about it and what you can look out for.
What short-term care means
Short-term care is care in a full-time residential facility, in other words a care home, for a limited period. Afterwards, your family member returns home. It is governed by Section 42 of Book XI of the Social Code (SGB XI).
The law provides for this help in situations where care at home is temporarily not possible, not yet possible or not possible to the extent needed. It must also be clear that part-time residential care, for example at a day care centre, is not sufficient either.
Who is entitled, and in which situations
People in need of care in care levels 2 to 5 are entitled to short-term care. So without an assessed care level, this benefit is not available. If your family member does not yet have a care level, or their current one no longer fits, it is worth clarifying that first.
The law names two typical occasions:
- a transitional period following inpatient treatment, for example after a hospital stay, when not everything is ready at home yet
- other crisis situations in which care at home or at a day care centre is temporarily not possible or not sufficient
How long, and how much
The entitlement to short-term care is limited to eight weeks per calendar year. The care insurance fund covers the care-related costs, including supervision and medical treatment care.
There is a shared pot for the money: the combined annual amount (Gemeinsamer Jahresbetrag) under Section 42a SGB XI. It covers short-term care and respite care (Verhinderungspflege) under Section 39 SGB XI together. People in need of care with at least care level 2 can use up to a total of €3,539 per calendar year from it.
For you, this means: whatever you use for respite care in a year is no longer available for short-term care, and vice versa. It can therefore be sensible to keep an eye on how much of the annual amount has already been used.
Important to know: the care insurance fund pays the care-related costs. Costs for accommodation and meals, as well as the facility's investment costs, are in principle considered separately. It is best to ask the facility in advance which costs you will have to pay yourself.
When a regular care home is not suitable
Sometimes an approved short-term care facility is not possible or not reasonable, for example for people with disabilities. For justified individual cases, the law provides that short-term care can also take place in suitable facilities for people with disabilities or in other suitable facilities.
If costs for accommodation, meals and investment are included in the fee there without being shown separately, the law allows a subsidy towards 60 per cent of the fee. Your care insurance fund decides whether such an individual case applies.
Billing and an overview of the costs
After a stay in short-term care, the facility must give you a written overview of the costs incurred without delay. It must clearly show which amount is to be billed against the combined annual amount. With your consent, the overview can also be provided in text form, for example by email.
Keep these overviews in a safe place. That way you can keep track of how much of the annual amount is still left.
First steps, and how we can help
If it becomes apparent that your family member temporarily cannot be cared for at home, talk to the care insurance fund early on. There you will find out what applies in your case and which facilities could be considered. The hospital's social services team can also help with the search.
Deutsche Pflegegemeinschaft Sankt Josef supports you when it comes to the care level: with the application, with an upgrade or with an appeal. For the time afterwards at home, we offer the care essentials box and the Gardia emergency bracelet.
Frequently asked questions
How long can my family member stay in short-term care?
Is short-term care available with every care level?
Do short-term care and respite care share a budget?
Will I still have to pay anything myself?
Source: Short-term care: temporary care in a care home. This article reflects the situation as of 27.10.2026 and does not replace individual advice; the information from your care insurance fund is what counts.