Academy: Knowledge That Makes a Difference

Caring for a family member is a rewarding but also challenging task, especially when it is done alongside a full-time job and caring for one’s own children. During such phases of life, it is especially important to consciously set aside time to “take a deep breath.” With effective time management and proven stress management techniques, you can better cope with the demands of everyday life and recharge your energy.

Goal

This seminar offers a variety of practical strategies that can effectively support you in your role as a care provider, helping you achieve a better balance in your daily life while staying healthy and resilient. In addition, you will receive an overview of existing professional support and assistance programs that you can use as needed, depending on your situation.

Contents

• The Challenge of Caring for Family Members
• The Stress and Overwork Spiral – Warning Signs
• Self-care—how can I do it (better)? Practical Tips and Tricks for Everyday (Care) Life
• Counseling and Support Options

Duration: approx. 120 minutes

The need for care on the part of a family member often arises unexpectedly and is associated with many uncertainties for family members. Many families hope that the person in need of care can be cared for at home for as long as possible. At the same time, most family caregivers would like to continue working. In this seminar, we will show you, as a manager, ways to effectively support employees who are responsible for providing care.

Goals

This seminar is designed to raise awareness of the issues of care and work among executives as well as team leaders at the middle management level. The seminar educates participants about the challenges and stresses that arise from a caregiving situation. After the seminar, managers will learn about measures for fostering a care-sensitive corporate culture and communication, as well as other low-threshold ways to relieve the burden on and support employees who are providing care.

Contents

• Suddenly, everyday caregiving—what does that even mean?
• Implications for Balancing Caregiving and Work for Employees with Caregiving Responsibilities
• Possible Measures to Better Balance Caregiving and Work
• Some best-practice examples and opportunities for discussion

Duration: approx. 120 min.

A fall, a stroke, a life-threatening illness—all of these and similar situations require quick and level-headed action from family caregivers. However, the responsibilities and regulations are usually complex and not immediately clear.

Goal

This introductory seminar offers all family caregivers an introduction to caregiving, with the goal of providing guidance for current or future caregiving situations and helping them take the next steps.

Contents

• What matters can and should be taken care of before a situation requiring long-term care arises?
• What needs to be arranged in an emergency?
• Where do I apply for which benefits, and what deadlines do I need to keep in mind?
• What services do health and long-term care insurance providers offer to bridge the gap and provide support during an acute situation?
• Where can I get further advice and support?

Duration: approx. 120 min.

“At what point are you actually considered old?”—I’m sure you’ve asked yourself that at some point, too, haven’t you?

Through our seminar, “Growing Older—Recognizing Changes and Shaping Them Together,” we aim to address these and other related questions.

There is no doubt that aging brings about changes that occur not only on a physical level but also on a psychological level. These changes and the differing perspectives on aging often lead to tension in the relationships between aging parents and their adult children. But conflicts can also arise in other types of relationships. This is where our seminar comes in; we aim to help participants learn how to deal with these tensions.

Goals
This seminar is designed to help employees better cope with the changes that come with aging. You will learn about the different perspectives on aging and the resulting tensions. Through reflection and communication exercises, participants are empowered to find solutions on their own.

Contents

• Aging—what does that mean?
• Physical and Psychological Changes in Old Age
• Age—Two Perspectives, the Same Topic?
• Communicating with Older Adults
• Tips and Tricks for Everyday Life

Duration: approx. 120 min.

Caring for family members who need care is always a major challenge for families. It is often difficult to balance the demands of the workplace with the need to care for family members who require care, because even after the enactment of the law aimed at improving the balance between family, caregiving, and work, many employees are still unaware of the new legal options available to them.

Goal

Employees are informed about the legal options available for effectively balancing work and caregiving responsibilities. The various models are clearly explained using practical examples.

Contents

• What does the 10-day period of temporary inability to work entail?
• How do you apply for a care support allowance?
• What should you keep in mind regarding the right to six months of care leave?
• What legal options are available for partial leave from work?
• Can a loan help offset income losses due to long-term care?
• How is social security coverage handled during family leave or caregiving leave?

Duration: approx. 120 min.

What begins as occasional assistance can gradually develop into typical caregiving tasks, which can be exhausting. Or an emergency situation may require a hospital stay, after which a family member in need of care is discharged into the care of unprepared relatives. A variety of factors are increasingly forcing family members who provide care or are responsible for care into extreme situations against their will, creating time pressures and overwhelming them, and causing them to be torn between caregiving, work, and family. What should be done?

Goal

After this seminar, employees will be able to recognize the multiple stresses of their daily caregiving work, weigh them against their own resources, and realistically assess them for the future. They know how to get support. In addition, they are encouraged to embrace a wide range of opportunities, overcome inhibitions, and maintain their own stability.

Contents

• What responsibilities are involved in caring for family members?
• How should the demands and stresses of caregiving be assessed?
• Is it possible to adjust one’s lifestyle, family, and career to accommodate a family member who needs care—and what resources are available to do so?
• When Does Caring for a Family Member Become a Source of Stress?
• What counseling and support options are available?

Duration: approx. 120 min.

Caring for a family member at home is a big responsibility. Due to changes in the law and the wide variety of care and support services available, it is important to be as well-informed as possible about your eligibility for benefits.

Goal

Employees are informed about the services their family members are entitled to and how these can best be combined to provide needs-based care in their own homes.

Contents

• What financing options and benefits are available under the statutory long-term care insurance program?
• When does long-term care insurance cover the costs?
• How does long-term care insurance help with home care?
• How can home care be organized effectively?
• What options does the Caregiving Leave Act offer?
• What services and facilities help relieve the burden on family members when providing care at home?
• Where can family caregivers get advice?

Duration: approx. 120 min.

Before benefits from the long-term care insurance fund can be claimed, the Medical Service (MD) conducts a long-term care assessment. It’s important to be well prepared for this.

Goal

This presentation helps employees thoroughly prepare for the care assessment and accurately describe their care situation.

Contents

• How does a long-term care assessment work?
• What criteria are relevant for classification?
• What preparations need to be made?
• How are individual skills evaluated and weighted during the assessment?
• How do physical or cognitive limitations in old age affect the assessment?
• What types of support services are recognized, and how are they documented?

Duration: approx. 120 min.

Once a person reaches a certain level of care needs, it may no longer be possible to provide home care. Thorough, long-term planning regarding potential housing options in old age and various care and support options can make it easier for a family member to transition to a different living situation.

Goal

Your employees will learn about the key requirements for admission to a long-term care facility, as well as the costs and financing options. In addition, the introduction of other living arrangements opens up a new perspective on caring for family members.

Contents

• What are the components of the costs for inpatient care?
• What criteria are important when choosing a nursing home?
• What does long-term care insurance cover for care in a facility?
• What costs, if any, might family members have to pay?
• What are some alternatives to nursing homes?

Duration: approx. 120 min.

Every person has a desire for self-determination—even when they can no longer actively exercise it. To ensure that self-determination can be preserved, it is advisable to handle legally binding advance directives with care. They allow you to make arrangements for the most important matters for the rest of your life.

Goal

This presentation provides information on the basic issues related to legal planning and guides employees through the important documents.

Contents

• What are the contents of a power of attorney for health care, a guardianship order, and a living will?
• What is the purpose of these documents?
• What aspects should be considered when dealing with estate planning documents?
• What is a living will, and why is it useful?
• How does a power of attorney for health care help?
• What matters can be addressed in a power of attorney for health care?
• How do I create documents like these?
• Who are legal guardians, and when are they appointed?

Duration: approx. 120 min.

A beloved family member is acting strangely; questions are no longer answered clearly and thoughtfully. Such symptoms leave many people at a loss: Could it be dementia? Since caring for and supporting people with dementia places special demands on those around them, addressing this issue early on can be helpful.

Goal

Your employees will be prepared for the specific challenges of having a family member with dementia, so that they can take the necessary steps early on.

Contents

• What are the symptoms of dementia?
• How does dementia change the situation for those affected and their families?
• What is the best way to care for someone with dementia?
• What options are available to provide relief for family caregivers?
• What types of care are available for comprehensive support and assistance?
• How do I choose the right type of care?

Duration: approx. 120 min.

In recent years, an increasing number of technical and digital care aids have come onto the market that are also suitable for use in home care.

This trend is being further accelerated by the “Digital Health Care and Nursing Modernization Act (DVPMG).” This allows anyone in need of care to receive additional subsidies for digital care applications.

Goal

This seminar provides family caregivers with information about the types of assistive devices available and the current financing options.

Contents

• What categories of assistive devices are there, and for what purpose are they used?
• In what situations is home care appropriate and beneficial?
• What financing options are available, for example, through long-term care insurance, health insurance, or other payers?
• Where can I find out more about the different assistive devices and possibly try them out?

Duration: approx. 120 min.

Parental leave and parental benefits are the most important family benefits designed to support parents in caring for and raising their children during the early years of life and to help alleviate any financial burdens. For expectant parents, planning and organizing parental leave and parental leave benefits on an individual basis is often a challenge due to the extensive regulations and information involved.

Goal

This compact introductory seminar provides all interested employees with an overview of the current regulations governing the arrangement of parental leave and the claiming of parental benefits, with the goal of enabling them to take the next steps on their own or with the support of personalized expert advice.

Contents

• Parental Leave – Eligibility Requirements, Duration, Options, Application Deadlines
• Parental Allowance – Eligibility Requirements, Parental Allowance Options, Application Deadlines
• Outlook: Where can I get more in-depth advice and support?

Duration: approx. 75 min.

During the autonomy phase—commonly known as the “terrible twos”—toddlers and preschoolers go through important stages of learning and development. But it is precisely this time that pushes many parents to their limits in their daily family life—some of them experience unexpected reactions such as sudden crying, biting, and emotional outbursts, and feel quite at a loss and helpless in such moments. But children still have to learn self-regulation, frustration tolerance, and perseverance.

Goal

In this seminar, we will explore the significance of this phase in children’s development and how you, as parents, can support your child with understanding and love, provide them with the necessary guidance, and still stay true to your own values and goals.

Contents

• Reflection on One’s Own Values and Parenting Goals
• Developmental Milestones in Infancy and Preschool Age
• What lies behind the child’s anger, and how does it affect me/us?
• How can we interact with the child in a way that shows understanding and respect? How can we, as parents, provide meaningful support?
• Where can we find help and support?

Duration: approx. 120 min.

“Fathers, get more involved in family life—because work-life balance is only possible with active fathers”—that, or something along those lines, is the general sentiment in society.

The role of fathers is changing: Fathers are expected to play a greater role in caring for and raising their children. Studies also show that today’s fathers want to spend more time with their families, and that family-friendly, father-sensitive measures in the workplace are more important than ever.

At the same time, the new role of fathers and men’s own expectations of that role clash with the still widespread expectation that men must provide for their families and be available to the labor market on a full-time basis. There is also a lack of role models for conscious fatherhood.

Goal
The seminar provides a space to examine societal expectations—and, in particular, one’s own expectations—regarding the role of a father, and to engage in a shared discussion about aspirations, obstacles, and possible courses of action for achieving them.

Contents

• How has the role of today’s fathers changed compared to that of the previous generation?
• What work-life balance challenges do fathers face? Are the work-life balance challenges faced by fathers in the workplace even visible?
• Reflection on my own role as a father through a biography and vision exercise:
  • How did I experience fatherhood during my childhood?
  • How do I see myself as a father?
  • What is my vision of my role as a father? What goals do I want to achieve as a father?
• Summary, Action Steps, and Additional Tips

Duration: approx. 120 min.