Table of Content
If the deceased’s next-of-kin lives in the United States and there are no relatives or friends in Germany , the German authorities will contact the embassy or consulate for assistance in notifying the next-of-kin . The embassy or consulate will, in turn, contact the next-of-kin at the earliest possible time to notify them of the death and offer information about making arrangements for the disposition of the deceased’s remains. When we hear of the death of a U.S. citizen, we will endeavor to reach the deceased’s next-of-kin as quickly as possible.
Substandard Quality of Care Substandard Quality of Care indicates a systemic deficiency in quality of care within a facility. Only citations related to the quality of residents' care can have this designation. In addition, for a citation to receive this designation, the deficiency must be severe and/or impact several residents. Correction Date The correction date identifies when the citation has been corrected, as recognized by the Department of Health.
Inspection Report (Inspection Tab)
When traveling during the adoption process, we encourage you to enroll with the Department of State through our Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to receive important information from the Embassy about safety conditions in your destination country. Embassy or Consulate in Germany, to contact you in an emergency, whether natural disaster, civil unrest, or family emergency. Whether there is a family emergency in the United States or a crisis in Germany, enrollment assists the U.S. Many residents pay for the care out of their own private funds but some have assistance from long term care insurance policies. Still others may receive help with costs from state Medicaid programs when their finances are depleted.
The information provided below is intended primarily to assist in rare adoption cases from Germany. This information may also be useful to U.S. citizens living in Germany considering adoptions from Germany or other countries. Some people stay at a nursing home for a short time with the goal of returning home. They may need nursing home care to recover after a hospital stay or for another reason.
USA Government Sites
Your primary provider can provide or point you to post- placement/post-adoption services to help your adopted child and your family transition smoothly and deal effectively with the many adjustments required in an intercountry adoption. On-site inspections conducted by official state health professionals, in order to assess compliance with federal standards of care, is the best source of reliable information for comparing facilities. Our Nursing Home InspectorTM tool helps you make sense of these complicated inspection reports. Along with finding local facilities, our tool provides a platform to compare nursing home ratings such as deficiency ratings, staffing ratings, and resident condition ratings. Search for nursing homes near you and get the facts before choosing a facility. Download our nursing home checklist and be prepared to ask the right questions on your next tour.
The details of the Youth Welfare Offices can be found on the website of the German Central Authority according to the 1993 Hague Convention on International Adoption (/auslandsadoption, section “Anschriften”). Per German regulations, embalming should not be performed for persons who die of a quarantinable communicable disease, including COVID-19. As the CDC guidelines only permit the return of embalmed remains in a hermetically sealed casket,transportation of remains of COVID-19 deceased is not permitted at this time. It should be noted that preparation and air shipment are carried out in accordance with the laws of and facilities available in Germany, and in some cases, the services fall short of those expected in the United States. Clickhereand go to your consular district to find a list of funeral homes with English speaking capabilities. Family members may request that the funeral home provide a written estimate of expenses before transferring the payment.
About Nursing Homes
The facility must provide sufficient space and equipment in dining, health services, recreations, and program areas to enable staff to provide residents with privacy as well as needed services. This identifies that an acceptable Plan of Correction hasn't yet been received, or alternatively, fully processed by the Department of Health. In some instances, for lower severity levels or when the citation was corrected before the investigation (Past Non-compliance), it is possible that a correction date will not be entered, and there will be an n/a indicator. External links to other Internet sites and listings of private entities on this page are provided as a convenience and should not be construed as the U.S. Department of State or U.S. government endorsement of the entity, its views, the products or services it provides, or the accuracy of information contained therein. The order in which names appear has no significance, and the listings or links may be removed at any time at the discretion of the Department.
The nursing home is required to post the results of its most recent Certification Survey in a location within the facility that is readily accessible to residents and their families. When visiting the home the actual survey results will be available for review. The Facility Characteristics Report presents general information about the nursing home.
For any documents not originating in Germany, the document must bear an Apostille from Hague convention countries or an authentication from non-Hague countries. In all cases of unmarried couples, single parents or same-sex relationships documents requirements vary and should be verified with the local authorities prior to application. Date The date displayed for each survey reflects the initial survey exit date of the survey. Certification, Complaint, or COVID-19 Survey Each survey will either be listed as a Certification, Complaint, or COVID-19 Survey.
Certified copies of the Report of Death will be sent to the next-of-kin or legal representative and the original will be sent to the Department of State for permanent filing. If you already have a loved one placed in a nursing home and are unhappy with the care provided, this tool may help in locating good alternatives for relocation. In addition, if you feel the quality of care provided at any facility has been poor, you may register a complaint with yourLong Term Care Ombudsman andState Survey Agency for investigation.
All surveyors are required to use them in assessing compliance with Federal requirements. Deficiencies are based on violations of the regulations, which are to be based on observations of the nursing home’s performance or practices. The facility must provide for an ongoing program of activities to meet the needs of the residents. The facility must care for residents in a manner and an environment that promote maintenance or enhancement of each resident's quality of life. Nursing staff adhere to acceptable infection control practices while rendering care to residents in the facility. The facility must maintain the clinical records of each resident in accordance with professional standards.
The facility then must submit a plan of correction that is acceptable to the Department and correct the deficient practice. After you choose an accredited or approved adoption service provider, you must be found suitable and eligible to adopt by USCIS by submittingForm I-800A, Application for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child from a Convention Country. You will need to submit a home study, fingerprints, and a background check as part of this application.
The facility must ensure that it has written plans and procedures for potential emergencies and disasters and that staff have been trained to implement these procedures in the event of an emergency. Level 4 – Immediate Jeopardy to Resident Health or Safety – The deficiency has resulted in noncompliance and immediate action is necessary. An event has caused or is likely to cause serious injury, harm, impairment or death to the residents. U.S. citizens are required by law to enter and depart the United States on a valid U.S. passport. Once your child has acquired U.S. citizenship, s/he will need a U.S. passport for any international travel.
When a Certification survey also has a Complaint investigation, it is listed as a Certification/Complaint survey. A Certification Survey is conducted onsite approximately on a yearly basis to determine whether the facility meets the Medicare and Medicaid quality and performance standards. The last three Certification Surveys will be displayed on the report, even in instances when the facility was not cited. The Inspection Report provides a snapshot of the compliance status of a nursing home at a particular point in time.
Germany - Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
Because Germany is party to the Hague Adoption Convention, children from Germany must meet the requirements of the Convention in order to be eligible for intercountry adoption. For example, the adoption may take place only if the competent authorities of Germany have determined that placement of the child within Germany has been given due consideration and that an intercountry adoption is in the child’s best interests. Nursing home ratings are critical in helping you determine the best facility for your loved one.
