Occupational and social rehabilitation

Even before injured persons are discharged from the clinics, rehabilitation advisers or case managers from the statutory accident insurance institutions visit them and support them throughout the rehabilitation process. The objective is to ensure that accident victims are re-integrated into their educational/vocational and social environment as sustainably as possible. The focus always lies upon retention of their former workplace. Should a return to the former workplace require further measures or not be possible at all, the statutory accident insurance system provides comprehensive alternative support. This assistance is geared to occupational re-integration of victims of accidents or disease, where possible for the long term, and in accordance with their ability. It takes into account the insured person's suitability, willingness and previous occupation.

In the case of children and young people, the function of occupational rehabilitation includes all measures necessary to prepare them for school attendance, and to enable them to complete a general education and to train for and pursue a suitable vocation, in accordance with their particular skills and abilities.

Facilitating participation

The statutory accident insurance institutions assume the costs of all measures required for occupational participation.
Measures which they finance include:

• Assistance in retaining or finding a workplace
• Measures for selecting a vocation, sample work experience, and preparation for a vocation
• Retraining, initial and further training
• Training courses and study materials
• Examinations
• Costs of travel, board and lodging.

Additional accident insurance benefits may be granted for schoolchildren:

• One-to-one tuition at the hospital bedside or at home, if the future course of education is at risk owing to the duration of schooling lost as a result of the accident
• Assumption of the cost of travel to school, in order to ensure the earliest possible resumption of lessons and to avert potential difficulties in keeping pace
• Provision of technical tuition and study aids
• Provision of schooling in a special training institution for the disabled, including accommodation in a residential or nursing home.

Social support is also an element in the social re-integration of schoolchildren or employees following a school or occupational accident or an occupational disease. This assistance furthers participation in community life and takes the form of household, accommodation and vehicle benefits. The affected individuals receive support for example in:

• Conversion of their homes (conversion of the sanitary facilities, installation of wide doors, lifts, ramps)
• Conversion or purchase of specially equipped vehicles.