The reality in day-care centres for seniors open from Mondays to Fridays showed a strong need for care on weekends and public holidays. As a lot of older people prefer to live at home as long as possible, day-care centres (often in combination with mobile care) offer a good way to cover their needs of care and social contacts. The Fonds Soziales Wien – FSW (Vienna Social Fund) is situated in Vienna and takes care of people in difficult life situations. It advises and accompanies people in need of care and support, such as those with disabilities and debt problems, homeless people and refugees. A subsidiary of the Vienna Social Fund, called Wiener Pflege und Betreuungsdienste GmbH – FSW, is situated in Vienna too and offers care for older people, such as mobile palliative care, continence consulting and social work.
The official care strategy of the city of Vienna focuses on prevention, on mobile and semi-stationary support, and support of an independent life at home (as long as possible). This strategy not only meets the wishes of older people (a lot of older people prefer to live at home as long as possible), but also implies economic advantages such as cost savings in the long term. Measures like mobile care at home and semi-stationary offers (e.g. day-care centres) contribute to the implementation of the strategy.
The FSW day-care centres for seniors offer targeted therapy (e.g. ergotherapy (occupational therapy), creative groups, gymnastics) and care measures that support an independent life at home while relatives gain some respite. Older people can choose from a wide range of offers to sustain their physical and cognitive health, and they benefit from a daily structure and social contacts. If needed, it is also possible to make use of a driving service. Two of the FSW day-care centres in Vienna extended their opening hours and are now so-called PLUS centres: for the first time, older people from all over Vienna can access day care for seven days a week (including public holidays). Through this offer, the care gap for people who still live at home can be closed. The visits to the PLUS centres can be organised as needed and seniors can stay all day long or just mornings or afternoons. Due to this success, a third centre with special care for people with dementia has extended its opening hours as well.