Overview

• Germany's aging population is driving unprecedented demand for care services, with the number of care-dependent individuals projected to rise from 5.7 million today to up to 7 million by 2050.
• Unions and social organizations have mobilized over 145,000 signatures demanding urgent reforms, including enforceable staffing ratios and capped patient contributions.
• Health Minister Nina Warken has maintained the federal government's decision to defer reforms to a commission, despite mounting criticism of delays.
• Foreign care workers now constitute 18% of Germany's care workforce, with reliance particularly high in eldercare, where 41% of staff in Bavaria are foreign-born.
• The World Health Organization continues to highlight the global nursing shortage, with 5.8 million positions unfilled worldwide, further complicating Germany's recruitment efforts.