"It's pretty amazing that at 18 years old, I can successfully motivate an 80-year-old to do something."

(Academy for Nursing and Social Professions, Mission Leben – Lernen gGmbH) Aurora Matticoli has great respect for her 24 students, whom she is training to become geriatric nursing assistants in Bad Homburg. Most of them are still very young and only graduated from school this summer. Now they are learning how to support seniors in their everyday lives, who are often more than four times their age and would not be able to cope without their help. It's a new experience. And also an enriching one: "Many of our students are really impressed by what older people have experienced, things they would otherwise only know from movies," says Matticoli. 

New for many: What am I really good at?

She observes that many have misconceptions about care and are often shy about personal hygiene at first. In practice, they quickly realize that it's not so bad. Above all, the students learn very quickly and directly what they are good at and where their skills lie. Like the young woman who realized for the first time during her training that she quickly connects with older people: "I'm really good at talking to them and getting along with them, which I didn't know before," she reports. Her classmate found it incredible that, at just 18 years old, he had managed to motivate an 80-year-old. "Pretty crazy" – and an extremely good feeling.

Excellent job opportunities

The two will graduate in August and then be state-certified geriatric nursing assistants. After just one year of training, the doors are open to them: geriatric care facilities, outpatient care services, and other institutions are desperately seeking staff, and many graduates start working in their training company with a permanent contract immediately after graduation. Incidentally, the training in Bad Homburg is also worthwhile for unskilled nursing assistants who want to acquire recognized vocational training and thus earn more money. Those who wish to can even follow up with three years of training to become a registered nurse ("generalist nurse"). Some are planning to do so, Matticoli confirms. 

Training with remuneration – application phase underway

The free training takes place in Bad Homburg, where the renowned geriatric nursing assistant school of the Academy for Nursing and Social Professions has had a location since last fall. Parallel to the theoretical training at the school, the students complete practical training in a nursing facility. They receive remuneration for this. The next class starts in April 2026. There are still a few places available. If you would like to apply or have any questions, please contact Aurora Matticoli: ps-hg@akademie-mission-leben.de. The geriatric nursing assistant school is located on the premises of the Flersheim Foundation Senior Center, a facility run by EVIM gGmbH. More information is available on the academy's website: www.akademie-mission-leben.de/altenpflegehilfe. (Source: Academy for Nursing and Social Professions, Mission Leben – Lernen gGmbH)