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Urgent appeal for care: shortage of skilled workers endangers care for seniors!
The nursing conference in Darmstadt-Dieburg addressed challenges in outdoor care and solutions for recruiting skilled workers.
Urgent appeal for care: shortage of skilled workers endangers care for seniors!
The Darmstadt-Dieburg district nursing conference, which took place on December 2, 2025 in the Darmstadt district hall, once again highlighted the challenges and opportunities of the nursing sector. The event was led by Christel Sprößler, who warmly welcomed the participants to the district council meeting room. The meeting offered a platform to discuss current topics such as the training situation in nursing, the work of the Dieburg care association and how to deal with emergency situations.
A central theme of the conference was demographic change, which is putting enormous pressure on our care system. According to county figures, 10.4% of the population is already over the age of 74, and an alarming 25.6% of this age group is in need of care. This trend is expected to worsen by 2035, with the number of people requiring care increasing by up to 40%. In view of these developments, the shortage of skilled workers in the nursing sector, which is already becoming apparent, will become even more urgent. Care shortage in Germany highlights that the number of older people is increasing sharply and the number of those requiring intensive medical care also increases with increasing age.
The voice of diversity
A particularly impressive contribution to the conference came from Elke Kreß from the Hessian State Office for LSBT, who addressed the topics of diversity in old age and the often overlooked invisibility of lesbian, gay and transgender people in care. Her comments showed that greater efforts are also needed in nursing to ensure inclusive and fair care for all people.
The discussions also clearly showed that the nursing profession is becoming less attractive for many young people. High dropout rates in training and the prospect that experienced nurses will retire in the coming years make the situation even more precarious. Sprößler emphasized the need to make the nursing profession more attractive: Better working conditions, fair pay and social recognition are crucial factors in attracting new skilled workers.
New offers in care
A positive signal amid these challenges is the introduction of solitary short-term care in the Römerbad senior center in Groß-Bieberau, which will be available from April 2026. This new form of care offers immediate availability and is particularly designed for acute absences of caring relatives or planned relief. A total of 24 places are available for this short-term care, which can provide significant relief for affected families. Iris Göttmann, the home director, describes the senior center as a central component in the regional care offering.
Overall, District Administrator Klaus Peter Schellhaas supports this latest offer and underlines the importance of cooperation within the district's healthcare family. This shows that despite the challenges in care, new approaches are being taken to meet the needs of the population and relieve the burden on relatives.