Since 2025 people of age 75 years and over they can number on new, deliberate support from the state. Senior voucher is simply a benefit intended to reducing the cost of care for seniorsand relief of household members — especially those active in employment who increasingly gotta reconcile work with caring for their loved ones.
The fresh solution foresees funding of care services up to PLN 2150 per month, which corresponds to about 50 hours of professional help.
Why was the elder voucher introduced?
The elder Bon Act is the answer to demographic change in progress and expanding number of older people in Poland. In the coming decades, the participation of seniors in the structure of society will increase. The authorities saw the request not only to support this group straight but besides indirectly — by helping their families.
Increasing costs of private care (e.g. nursing homes, nursing services) and Human resources shortages In the care sector, more and more families are faced with a hard choice: to quit work or leave an aged individual without adequate support.
Who's entitled to a elder voucher?
The elder bonus is addressed to 2 groups of beneficiaries:
- Persons aged 75 years or olderwhich require support in their regular functioning,
- A Progressive Senior (children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren) who are active professionally and under maintenance work to an aged person.
This is important: the voucher is not a “machine”. It is essential to show the real request and to submit application to the applicable municipality.
How do I apply for a voucher?
The application for a elder voucher is filed by the elder family, in agreement with the elderly, to the municipality liable for the elder residentity. Next:
- The municipality conducts an assessment of the needs of the seniorwhich includes documentation analysis, environmental interview and conversation with the family.
- Once the level of request for support has been established, the number of hours of care services to be financed by the voucher shall be determined.
Criteria for assessing the elder situation
In the evaluation process, the municipality (or social worker) analyses, inter alia:
- Senior autonomy,
- Health and medical needs,
- Housing conditions,
- Availability of household support.
This individual approach is intended to guarantee that the form of support is best adapted to the circumstantial situation.
What is the value and form of the elder voucher?
The maximum value of the voucher is PLN 2150 per monthwhich translates around 50 hours care. Depending on the assessment of the situation of a peculiar senior, this may be little — everything depends on the scale of needs.
Bon is not paid in cashbut implemented directly in the form of care servicesfinanced by the state budget. Seniors or their families do not receive physical money, but usage services provided by designated entities (e.g. social services centres, care companies).
What services does the elder voucher cover?
The voucher services may include:
- Help in regular Activities: washing, dressing, preparing meals, helping to move,
- Home tasks: shopping, cleaning, laundry, ironing,
- Health support: care of taking medicines, aid with dating and medical assistance,
- Emotional and social support: conversation, walking, combating loneliness, intellectual assistance.
In practice, this means that elder citizens can number on both practical supportand Emotional carewhich is equally crucial in their regular functioning.
Senior bond and income criteria
Although full details of the income criteria have not yet been published, they are known to be an crucial component in the award process. This means that the municipality may take into account the income of both the elder and his household — peculiarly those who have a maintenance obligation.
However, the nonsubjective is to Getting to those families who truly request help, not the application of rigid financial barriers.
What's next? position and relevance of the programme
The elder bonus is first so comprehensive support instrument for older people and their families in Poland. If the program works, it could be future expansion both in terms of the value of the service and the catalogue of services available.
Introduction of the benefit responds to real societal and demographic challengesand its success will depend on the efficiency of implementation at municipal level. It will besides be crucial monitoring the availability of care staffwithout which implementation of the voucher may encounter barriers.
More here:
You turned 70? You can get additional PLN 2150 . Check who and how can receive the voucher
