In order to claim benefits from the compulsory long-term care insurance scheme an insured person must be defined as "frail". The Social Security Code (SGB, Sozialgesetzbuch) XI defines a frail person as “a person who requires for a minimum period of approximately six months, permanent, frequent or extensive help in performing a special number of ‘Activities of Daily Life’ (ADL, grundlegende Aktivitäten des täglichen Lebens) and ‘Instrumental Activities of Daily Life’ (IADL, instrumentelle Aktivitäten des täglichen Lebens) 5 due to physical, mental or psychological illness or disability” (Holdenrieder 2003). Such a person is dependent on assistance with personal care, nutrition, mobility.
