8 out of 10 retirees cannot pay the retirement home bill with their statutory pension

In 2020, 5.3 percent of those over 65 lived in a residential care center in Flanders, and there were just over 70,000 people. The average resident age at the time was 87, and four out of five residents were in urgent need of assistance. How much do they pay for their stay in the rest of the house? And what determines this price?

The daily rate includes mandatory items such as housing with infrastructure, heating, daily energy consumption, paint, curtains, meals, care and nursing, call system, normal entertainment, park maintenance, fire and civil liability insurance, all administrative costs, taxes and fees related to accommodation, and care supplies covered by the intervention of the National Institute for Human Development and Human Development.

In addition, the daily rate is determined by the operator: the public sector, the private sector or a non-profit organization. Public sector residential care centers are usually the cheapest. The location is also important: Brussels and Antwerp are more expensive, East and West Flanders and Limburg are cheaper. In addition, the size of the housing units, just like the country (new construction or old buildings), also plays a role.