Three stages of the need for nursing care are stipulated in the legislation:

Care stage I: is valid for persons who need help at least once a day in their personal hygiene, nutrition or mobility in at least in one or two daily chores from one or more areas and additionally need help several times a week with their household supplies.
Care stage II: is valid for persons who need help with their personal hygiene, nutrition or mobility at least three times a day at various times of the day and additionally need help several times a week with their household supplies.
Care stage III: is valid for persons who need help with their personal hygiene, nutrition or mobility the whole day round and also at night and need help several times a week with their household supplies.
The nursing care benefits apply to:
· Care supplies
· Money for self-selected nursing care help
· Combination of money and supplies
· Home care in case of temporary absence of the regular caring person
· Care aid supplies and technical aid
· Day and night care
· Short term care
· Full stationary care
· Care in fully stationary establishments for disabled persons
· Services of the social insurance of the caring person (for example contributions to pension and accident insurance)
· Courses in nursing care for relatives and volunteers

Extract from the German report (Stadelhofer, Ühlein, Körting) to Salomon Project, see report TRANSNATIONAL REPORT ON ELDERLY PEOPLE CARE POLICIES 1999 at
http://www.lill-online.net/menus/D/report.htm