When Illness Shatters Stability

Mr Diallo had lived in Berlin since 1990 and worked for many years as a chauffeur at an African embassy. He enjoyed a stable income, social recognition, and a family life with his wife from Cameroon.

In 2016, he suffered a stroke. Overnight, he could hardly speak and was no longer able to drive. Despite rehabilitation measures, his condition improved only slowly. His wife had no secure residence status in Germany, and the four-person family had to live first on sickness benefits, then on unemployment benefit II and nursing care allowance. These benefits barely covered basic needs, which led to serious conflicts in the relationship and ultimately to separation. The shared apartment was given up, and Mr Diallo moved into a shared residence for stroke patients.

To support him and his family, a wide range of applications had to be organised: sickness benefit and nursing care allowance with the health insurance fund, unemployment benefit I and II with the job center, child benefit and advance maintenance payments for the children, rehabilitation measures and reduced earning capacity pension with the pension insurance. The immigration authority also had to clarify the legal residence status of his wife and children and record additional income from a side job.

In this way, despite severe illness and family breakdown, his legal and financial situation could be stabilised and his long-term medical and social support secured.