A grueling 16-hour bus ride from Vienna to Sofia offers a glimpse into the lives of Bulgarian caregivers who travel to Austria to provide round-the-clock care for the elderly. These women, often the last resort for families struggling to find adequate care, face demanding conditions and long periods away from their homes.

The Caregiver’s Viewpoint

One caregiver, identified as Raya to protect her privacy, cares for an 87-year-old man wiht dementia in Salzburg.The job is so challenging that no one wants to deal with it anymore. We are the last to be left, she says, highlighting the challenging nature of her work.

Another caregiver recounts the difficulties of caring for a dementia patient who struggled to distinguish day from night, constantly used a wheelchair, and woke her caregiver multiple times each night. A third caregiver reported being treated as a cleaner by the family she worked for. Despite these hardships, Raya emphasizes the necessity of foreign labor in the Austrian care system: Though, the system only works this way – with labor from abroad.

Financial Incentives and Training

The primary motivation for these women to endure such demanding work is the financial reward. In Austria you get a clean € 2,500 a month, Raya explains. This income allows her to maintain a pleasant life in Bulgaria, including a house with a large garden and another home. When I come back, I will deal with the garden first, she adds, expressing her longing for home.

These 24-hour caregivers are typically hired through Austrian agencies, often via intermediaries in both countries. Before starting work in Austria, a three-month training period is required.Their responsibilities generally include assisting with daily tasks such as washing, dressing, and shopping, but exclude medical procedures like injections.Agencies usually cover bus trips and ensure timely payment. Some agencies act solely as intermediaries, with patients paying caregivers directly.

The Journey Continues: From Sofia to Mezdra

The journey to understand the lives of these caregivers extends beyond Sofia. In Mezdra, another caregiver, Nicole, shares her experiences. Unlike many of her colleagues, Nicole no longer relies on the bus for her journey home, having purchased a car after 30 years of working abroad.

All young people are running, Nicole says, referring to the emigration of young Bulgarians seeking better opportunities in larger cities or abroad. Like Raya, 52-year-old Nicole sees herself as one of the last to engage in this type of work.

Bulgaria’s Challenges and the Exodus of Youth

Nicole attributes the decline in Bulgaria’s population to the end of communism in 1989 and the country’s accession to the European Union, which facilitated work and study abroad. However, she believes the primary issue is corruption. Bulgaria is corrupt. The money is just disappearing. She claims that substandard materials are used to meet EU requirements, such as in the construction of a motorway to Mezdra, with the remaining funds allegedly embezzled by politicians. That’s why everything is broken, the streets are full of holes, no one wants to stay here.

Corruption and the Decline of Interest in Caregiving

Bulgaria ranks 76th out of 180 countries in the Corruption Perception Index by Transparency International. Furthermore,a study indicates that black market labor accounts for 34.6% of Bulgaria’s GDP, the highest in the EU.

The interest in 24-hour caregiving has significantly decreased, with the number of candidates dropping by half in the last 20 years due to unfavorable conditions and low wages. The average age of caregivers in this sector is 54 years.