Bankruptcy shock in Kassel: Diakonie Center for the brain-damaged closes!

Bankruptcy shock in Kassel: Diakonie Center for the brain-damaged closes!

In a sad turn of events, the Diakonie Center for Traumatic Brain Injuries North Hesse (ZeHN) in Kassel filed for bankruptcy on June 13, 2025. The original plan was to close the facility gradually by the end of the year, which was decided on May 30th. There are currently around 30 employees working at the center, but the situation is becoming increasingly precarious - only six of the total 27 places are currently occupied. As HNA reports, many residents have found new accommodation faster than expected, which has put further pressure on the center's financial situation.

The decision to declare bankruptcy was anything but easy for the management, led by Martina Tirre. Nevertheless, it was unavoidable in order to preserve the last remaining resources. The financial basis was heavily burdened by high outstanding payments from payers such as health insurance companies, the regional association, social welfare offices and job centers, while the shortage of skilled workers led to an increased use of expensive temporary workers, which caused additional costs. The employee base loudly criticizes the communication from management and is worried about upcoming salaries because the June salary has not been received. Up to three months of salaries are covered by insolvency money, but uncertainty remains.

The tense financial situation

ZeHN has faced financial difficulties since its founding in 2012. Despite management's extensive efforts to stabilize the economic base, the situation has continuously worsened. A key reason for the difficulties is the generally tense economic situation in the care sector, coupled with a shortage of skilled workers. As KDHK notes, small institutions like the ZeHN are particularly affected because they have limited scope to compensate for deficits.

In addition, current developments in the entire nursing sector show that the challenges there do not only affect the ZeHN. According to a report by Tagesschau, large providers such as Dorea and Curata are also struggling with similar problems. More than a third of nursing homes in Germany are making losses, and high occupancy is crucial for economic stability. As a rule of thumb, 98% occupancy is required for a nursing home to be viable.

A preview of the closure

Those responsible at ZeHN have set themselves the goal of finding new places in other facilities for all residents by the end of 2025. The affected families are offered support during the closure process. Old and new employees can also expect offers for comparable positions in other facilities. In order to avoid the loss of skilled workers, the challenge remains to close the vacancy in nursing staff while at the same time meeting the continually increasing need for care. The skills shortage remains a key obstacle across the sector.

The coming months will be crucial, not only for the people in ZeHN and their relatives, but also for the care sector in Hesse as a whole. It is to be hoped that those responsible will take the necessary measures to ensure the quality and availability of care for those who so urgently need it.