"Frontline Workers Require Reinforcements"
Sonja Bongers Proposes Comprehensive Measures to Improve Care in North Rhine-Westphalia
Sonja Bongers, Chair of the SPD City Council Fraction and a Member of the North Rhine-Westphalia State Parliament, has put forth several proposals aimed at enhancing care services and supporting caring relatives in the region.
Bongers emphasises the importance of recognising and financially supporting family caregivers by advocating for improved pension benefits for individuals who provide care for their relatives. This move would help acknowledge the significant contributions made by caring relatives in ensuring good care and a dignified final stage of life.
In her bid to address the rising need for care, Bongers calls for the creation of a Bundesrat initiative. This initiative would involve coordination between federal states to improve care policies and funding, with the aim of addressing care-related challenges comprehensively.
Bongers also proposes increasing the number of professional contact centers where caregivers and care recipients can get information and support. Additionally, she suggests expanding the availability of care facilities to better meet the demand for professional care services.
Recognising the need for more scientifically-backed solutions, Bongers calls for a suitably qualified institute for applied care research to scientifically accompany and evaluate the current GemeindeSchwesterPlus models.
To further support caring relatives, Bongers proposes the abolition of the surcharge for childless caring relatives and advocates for full wage compensation for those who reduce their working hours to care for their loved ones. She also emphasises the need for municipalities to be financially and personally supported in their care efforts.
Bongers' proposals aim to enhance both the quality and accessibility of care in North Rhine-Westphalia, making it easier for families to manage caregiving responsibilities while ensuring adequate support and resources. The SPD politician believes that a state program to promote care places would contribute significantly to these improvements.
- Sonja Bongers, in her role as Chair of the SPD City Council Fraction and a Member of the North Rhine-Westphalia State Parliament, advocates for a stronger focus on science in the workplace-wellness and health-and-wellness sectors, stressing the need for a suitably qualified institute for applied care research to scientifically accompany and evaluate the current care models.
- Given the increasing demand for care, Bongers suggests creating a Bundesrat initiative, a coordination between federal states to improve care policies and funding, addressing care-related challenges comprehensively.
- Recognizing the importance of mental health, Bongers proposes policy-and-legislation changes such as the abolition of the surcharge for childless caring relatives and full wage compensation for those who reduce their working hours to care for their loved ones.
- In the broader context of general-news and politics, Bongers' proposals speak to the need for increased resources for municipalities to provide sufficient and dignified care services, ultimately promoting the well-being and fitness-and-exercise of both caregivers and care recipients.
