Geriatric hospitals to now accept foreign workers as caregivers

Change proposed by Health Ministry aims to ease severe shortage, complaints of poor training and some patient abuse

The government will now allow any geriatric hospital that includes a nursing department or a department for the mentally ill to accept foreign workers as caregivers for active geriatric departments (rehabilitative geriatrics, complex supportive nursing, sub-acute geriatrics and prolonged ventilation).

The change was proposed by the Health Ministry given the severe shortage of geriatric hospital workers, complaints of poor training and some abuse of patients.

The measure is intended to prevent burnout of care team members and to help improve the quality of care for elderly residents in geriatric facilities.

In the past, permits were only issued to foreign healthcare workers for home nursing.

The increasing number of elderly patients in geriatric wards in Israel has led to a severe shortage of personnel in nursing institutions. However, until now, employment of foreign workers in such facilities has been limited. Very few Israelis are willing to work in such jobs.

A total of 2,000 permits have been approved. So far, about 1,000 foreign workers from Nepal have arrived in Israel and been granted permission to work in nursing facilities.