Estimate the care level without obligation
The calculator takes you step by step through the areas of the self-assessment.
Not for children: the calculator does not cover the assessment of children.
The six modules of the assessment
The assessment looks at six areas of life. Each module counts with a fixed share towards the total points.
| Module | What is looked at, for example | Share of the total points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Mobility | Changing position in bed, transferring, moving around the home, climbing stairs | 10 % |
| 2 Cognitive and communicative abilities | Orientation, remembering, everyday decisions, taking part in a conversation | 15 % (with module 3) |
| 3 Behaviour and psychological problems | Restlessness at night, anxiety, resisting care | 15 % (with module 2) |
| 4 Self-care | Washing, dressing, eating and drinking, using the toilet | 40 % |
| 5 Coping with illness- or therapy-related demands | Medication, changing dressings, visits to the doctor | 20 % |
| 6 Organising everyday life and social contacts | Planning the day, resting and sleeping, keeping in touch | 15 % |
For modules 2 and 3 only the higher of the two weighted values counts.
The weighted points of all modules add up to the total points, at most 100.
From the total points to the care level
| Care level | Total points | Impairment of independence or abilities |
|---|---|---|
| Care level 1 | from 12.5 to under 27 | minor |
| Care level 2 | from 27 to under 47.5 | considerable |
| Care level 3 | from 47.5 to under 70 | severe |
| Care level 4 | from 70 to under 90 | most severe |
| Care level 5 | from 90 to 100 | most severe, with special requirements for nursing care |
Below 12.5 total points there is no care level.
In a special constellation of needs, care level 5 can also apply below 90 total points.
From the application to the decision
Application to the care fund
You or an authorised person apply to the long-term care insurance fund. Benefits start at the earliest from the application – so apply early.
Assessment
The care fund commissions the Medical Service or other independent assessors. For privately insured people, Medicproof carries out the assessment.
Decision
The care fund informs you of the care level. If you disagree, you can lodge an objection; the deadline is stated in the decision.
Important about the self-assessment
Background on the care level
Show the background
What is the care level?
In the sense of the long-term care insurance, a person needs care if, because of health-related impairments of independence or abilities, they need help from others – permanently, expected for at least six months.
Five care levels describe how strongly independence is impaired: from minor impairments (care level 1) to the most severe impairments with special requirements for nursing care (care level 5). The care level decides which benefits may apply.
Which benefits depend on the care level
Depending on the care level, benefits include care in kind from a home care service, care allowance when relatives provide care, day and night care, short-term care and care in a care home (Sections 36 ff. SGB XI). With care level 1 the benefits are limited.
The amounts depend on the care level and are adjusted by law; we deliberately do not state them here. Your long-term care insurance fund has the current figures.
Ready for the self-assessment?
The calculator takes you through the six areas and shows an estimate at the end. From the calculator you can then start the care request.