Dummy link to fix Firefox-Bug: First child with tabindex is ignored

Jena care initiative

Jena Care Initiative - The "Jena Way" to reduce measures involving deprivation of liberty in inpatient care

In professional care for the elderly, measures involving deprivation of liberty are primarily used to protect people in need of care from endangering themselves. Every measure involving deprivation of liberty must be approved by the guardianship court; otherwise it is punishable by law. The Jena working group of the same name, which was founded in 2012, aims to reduce measures involving deprivation of liberty.

The Jena approach was unique in Germany: its most important feature was a series of free training courses for carers, which were held in the facilities, i.e. in the workplace.

  • Interdisciplinary working group under the direction of the social services department of the city administration, to which the care authority is also linked, meets regularly 2-3 times a year.
  • Establishment of a series of training courses for nursing staff in residential care for the elderly; financed by the City of Jena, Social Services Department
  • The individual modules take place in the participating facilities so that the management staff can be trained together with the nursing staff.
  • Active participation of the Medical Service of the Health Insurance (MDK) and home supervisory authorities in the training courses
  • Annual flexible offers, discussion rounds, individual consultations, also for caregivers

Articles 1 and 2 of the German Basic Law: "Human dignity is inviolable and personal freedom is inviolable" are the basis of our initiative to reduce the deprivation of liberty in residential and care facilities in Jena.

FEM close to the body influence direct freedom of movement. These include, for example, restraining straps, bed side panels that are raised on both sides, fixed tables on the chair or wheelchair. Remote FEM have an indirect effect on a person's freedom of movement. The removal of mobility aids, the locking of rooms or living areas, trick locks or even psychotropic drugs can constitute indirect REMs.

The will and the personal consultation of the person are the focus when dealing with FEM. Interference with fundamental rights may only take place after a thorough examination of each case. The necessity and scope of FEM must be subordinate to these principles.

We would like to present some alternatives to liberty-depriving measures here. The list does not claim to be exhaustive. There are no limits to the ingenuity of nursing staff when it comes to finding suitable ways of preventing elderly people and/or people in need of care from restricting their natural range of movement.

More quality of life

The aim is to give the person concerned a better quality of life and to enable them to participate in life as fully as possible. The physical and mental ageing process may even be reduced.

Technical aids

The use of alternative technical aids, induction transmitters and positioning systems or the implementation of special room and environmental design measures is intended to prevent deprivation of liberty in order to protect the person concerned. Nevertheless, the measures must always be considered on an individual basis and may require approval from the guardianship court.

Care aids presented by way of example

Some technical aids are shown as examples in the brochure of the medical supply store "Alippi" using a few photos of care aids. Information on various disorientation systems and other products such as ball blankets, which can also be used to counteract aggressive behavior, can be found on the Internet.