Home care in the Netherlands: how does it work?

Living in the Netherlands as an expat is exciting, but also comes with challenges. There’s a lot of new things you need to figure out: learning the Dutch language, all the traffic rules (and riding a bike) and how the healthcare system works. If you have an older relative that is moving to the Netherlands with you, healthcare and specifically home care are important to dive into. In this article, we’ll explain a bit more about the Dutch healthcare system and what to do if you or one of your family members is in need of home care.

Arranging a health insurance

The Dutch healthcare system is known for its efficiency and quality. In the Netherlands, it’s mandatory to have health insurance. Because of this, it’s important to take out health insurance within the first four months of moving to The Netherlands. Your health insurance will then be active from the start date of your employment.

Regular and private home care services

Home care services ( ‘thuiszorg’ in Dutch) are part of the Dutch healthcare system and are usually well-organized. As an expat, applying for home care services for yourself or one of your family members might seem confusing. It’s important to understand your options and how you access them.

In The Netherlands, regular home care services are part of the basic health insurance and will be reimbursed by your health insurance. However, you will need an indication by a community nurse for this type of home care. If you don’t have this or want more extensive home care than the community nurse advised for you, you can also request private home care. This is not covered by your health insurance.

Another reason you might want to choose for private home care is the long waiting lists for nursing homes. Private home care generally doesn’t have waiting lists, so you can quickly get a nurse or care worker to visit your home.

Types of home care

You can get home care in The Netherlands for several reasons. Examples are dementia, Parkinson’s disease, palliative care or when you’re temporarily injured after an accident or can’t take care of yourself after an operation.

In case of private home care, you can choose how much home care you wish to receive. For example, you can choose 5 hour care, 24 hour care at home or night care. This way you know you are well taken care of and you get the help you need.

Home care for expats

If you or a family member are in need of help, it is possible to request home care in the Netherlands. There are many healthcare companies that offer this type of help. Do you prefer an English-speaking nurse? Make sure to contact a company beforehand to see if this is possible. This way, you can explain your physical complaints and ask for help in a language you’re more comfortable with.

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