Housing Options for Older People in Austria in 2026

In Austria, the choice for later life is not limited to staying at home or moving into a nursing home. Several intermediate options are available, ranging from support in your own home to shared housing with younger people. The right choice depends on how much independence, care and social contact is needed.

Overview of housing options for older people

The main models differ according to how much of an independent household remains and how much support is provided.

• Staying at home (Wohnen zu Hause): your own home with additional services.
• Supported living (Betreutes Wohnen): your own accessible apartment with care and support available as needed.
• Supported senior shared housing (Betreute Seniorenwohngemeinschaft): a private room in a shared apartment with communal facilities.
• Multigenerational living (Mehr-Generationen-Wohnen): younger and older people live together.
• Housing for help (Wohnen-für-Hilfe): an older person provides accommodation while a student helps with everyday tasks.

A separate category is the residential and nursing home (Alten- und Pflegeheim).

Staying at home: what support is available?

If care needs or a disability make everyday life more difficult, several forms of assistance can make it possible to remain at home:

• social services (Soziale Dienste),
• home care, including 24-hour care (24-Stunden-Betreuung),
• support for family members providing care (Pflegende Angehörige),
• day care (Tagesbetreuung).

Day centres for older people (Tageszentren für Seniorinnen/Senioren) are semi-residential facilities (teilstationär). Their services may include transport from and back to the home, meals, care as needed, counselling, and individual or group activities such as occupational and physical therapy, music and discussion groups, excursions and events.

Care is provided by social workers, occupational and physical therapists, home helpers (Heimhilfe), nursing assistants, psychologists and qualified nurses. In Vienna, people can obtain information and advice from FSW (Fonds Soziales Wien).

What is supported living (Betreutes Wohnen)?

Supported living combines an age-appropriate, generally accessible apartment or apartment unit with specific care services. Residents live in their own apartments and may use meal services and care.

Some residential developments include certain services in a basic package (Grundservice). These can be supplemented by mobile social and healthcare services when needed. The aim is to allow residents to remain in their own apartment for as long as this is socially and medically possible.

Important: supported living has no statutory framework. Each provider can design its own offer, so there can be major differences in the organisational model and in the type and extent of assistance. The ÖNORM B1610 standard can be used to assess whether a building is fully accessible, offers enhanced accessibility or provides only partial accessibility.

Who offers supported living?

• Kuratorium Wiener Pensionisten-Wohnhäuser (KWP), Vienna: single and double apartments, communal rooms, leisure facilities, services such as weekly cleaning and minor repairs, and five meals a day. Additional services are available for an extra charge.
• Charitable organisations: including Diakonie, Volkshilfe, Caritas, Hilfswerk and Sozial Global.
• Private providers.

Supported senior shared housing: a shared apartment with a private room

Supported senior shared housing (betreute Seniorenwohngemeinschaft) is similar to supported living, but residents live together in one apartment. Depending on the offer, a community consists of four to eight people.

Everyone has a private room, while the bathroom, toilet, kitchen and living room are shared. Social services may be used by the whole community or by individual residents when necessary. Such shared homes are operated by charitable organisations and private providers. In Vienna, examples include Wiener Sozialdienste, Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund Wien and Wiener Hilfswerk.

Multigenerational living and “housing for help”

Multigenerational living (Mehr-Generationen-Wohnen) is a broad term for housing in which younger and older people live together, for example in a larger residential development. The basic idea is to encourage interaction and mutual assistance between different age groups. Vienna examples include Kolping’s “Gemeinsam Leben”, WGE! and the Leuchtturm residential project in Seestadt.

Under the “housing for help” model (Wohnen-für-Hilfe), older people provide accommodation to students. In return, the students help with everyday tasks such as shopping, administrative matters and household chores. Examples of programmes are offered by ÖH in Graz, Diakonischer Verein Tirol and WGE!.

What should you consider when choosing?

Because supported living is not regulated by law, the content of each offer can differ significantly. Check exactly which services are included in the basic package and which involve an extra charge. The ability to cover the costs also depends on the pension.

Frequently asked questions

Is Betreutes Wohnen regulated by law?

No. Each provider designs its own offer, which is why there can be substantial differences.

How many people live in a supported senior shared home?

Depending on the offer, there are four to eight residents, and everyone has a private room.

What is a Tageszentrum?

It is a day centre for older people and a semi-residential facility where meals, care, therapy and social activities are available during the day, including transport.

How can accessibility be assessed?

The ÖNORM B1610 standard can be used to determine whether a building is accessible and at what level.

Practical steps before making a decision

1. Assess how much independence and everyday support is currently needed.
2. Compare staying at home, Betreutes Wohnen, a Betreute Seniorenwohngemeinschaft and other models.
3. Ask each provider for a detailed list of the Grundservice, optional services and additional charges.
4. Check the building’s accessibility against the ÖNORM B1610 standard.
5. Ask about care, meals, transport, emergency arrangements and community activities.
6. Contact FSW (Fonds Soziales Wien) in Vienna or the relevant provider for further information and advice.
7. Consider whether the pension and available support are sufficient to cover the chosen arrangement.

This article is based on information available online and is not a substitute for professional advice. Decisions should be checked with the relevant service provider and, where appropriate, a qualified professional.

Source: oesterreich.gv.at