Critical Overhaul of Home Care Services for Seniors Starting August 7

New regulations taking effect on August 7 establish uniform standards, clear scopes of assistance, and strict quality controls for home care services provided to seniors across the country.

Important Changes for Seniors and Caregivers Starting August 7

Meal preparation, medication assistance, blood pressure monitoring, shopping, and even support in maintaining contact with loved ones—starting August 7, regulations precisely define the services available to seniors in their homes. This is the result of a new ordinance on care services coming into effect.

New home care standards have been in force since August 7, bringing significant changes to the system. On August 5, 2026, provisions amending the Social Assistance Act entered into force, introducing new rules for organizing care services and requirements for those performing them. Two days later, on August 7, 2026, the ordinance of the Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy on care services at home, published on August 6, took effect. The document details the scope of help and quality control rules for the first time, replacing previous municipal discretion with uniform national standards.

Full List of New Home Care Powers

The ordinance specifies which activities can be carried out under care services, moving away from past interpretations by individual social assistance centers.

As of August 7, the standard of care services includes a variety of defined daily support tasks.

Support for Rehabilitation Equipment Usage

The new regulations explicitly provide for support when using rehabilitation equipment.

A key condition is that these performed activities do not require specialized medical knowledge.

Greater Emphasis on Hygiene and Daily Care

The regulation also details the scope of hygienic assistance that caregivers can provide.

For bedridden individuals, the regulations outline the possibility of performing hygienic activities directly in bed.

Blood Pressure, Glycemia, and Medication Assistance

An important element of the new regulations is the inclusion of specific actions related to daily health monitoring, such as blood pressure and glycemia measurements alongside medication help.

The regulations emphasize that these remain strictly non-medical tasks that do not require specialized professional qualifications.

Addressing Senior Loneliness and Expanding Care Services

The new ordinance addresses not only physical needs but also social requirements, incorporating support for countering isolation into the official catalogue of services.

Care Services Available Evenings, Weekends, and Holidays

The regulation provides for the implementation of certain services seven days a week between 6:00 AM and 9:00 PM, with care extending to holidays in justified situations to ensure continuity. Additionally, two caregivers are permitted to work simultaneously for tasks like position changes or bathing.

Stricter Rules Ending Random Substitutions

The regulation introduces the principle of continuity of care, mandating that any substitute caregiver must meet all statutory requirements, thereby barring untrained, random individuals from filling in.

Mandatory Senior Dignity and Service Confirmation

A primary element of the new regulations introduces a clear principle of respecting the dignity, privacy, self-determination, intimacy, safety, and hygiene of the care recipient.

Regulations require care recipients to confirm completed activities in a manner determined by the local social assistance center or community service center.

New monitoring rules detail how municipalities will inspect home care quality at least once every six months.

New Requirements and Deadlines for Caregiver Training and Documents

Changes apply directly to caregivers, who must be of legal age, possess psychophysical fitness, and complete first aid training as of August 5, 2026. Family members, including separated spouses, parents, and children, are excluded from providing these compensated services.

A transitional period allows caregivers lacking psychophysical fitness declarations to complete them by September 5, 2026, while those lacking first aid training have until November 5, 2026, to fulfill the requirement.

Summary of Changes and Legal Basis

The ultimate change unifies home care under explicit statutory guidelines, offering clarity to families and enforcement standards to local governments.

The legal framework combines the statutory changes from August 5 and the ministerial ordinance of August 4, 2026 (Journal of Laws 2026, item 1067), alongside the Social Assistance Act amendment (Journal of Laws 2026, item 974) currently referred to the Constitutional Tribunal.