Garmisch-Partenkirchen, January 21st, 2026 - during her visit to the Garmisch-Partenkirchen campus, Judith Gerlach, Bavaria's Minister of State for Health, Care, and Prevention, learned about the current status of geriatronics research, future plans, and the strategic development of this major project. The exchange focused on innovative solutions to the challenges of an increasingly aging society in need of care, as well as possible points of contact. Minister Gerlach emphasized: "The Garmisch-Partenkirchen campus impressively demonstrates how research, education, and care can work together to provide concrete answers to the challenges of our aging society. Innovative solutions are being developed here that relieve the burden on caregivers and at the same time improve the quality of life of people in need of care." At the site, the Caritas Association of the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising, the Technical University Munich (TUM), and LongLeifGaPa gGmbH are developing solutions for the future of care.
The mayor of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Elisabeth Koch, is also more than convinced of this project: “The Garmisch-Partenkirchen campus is a project close to my heart. With TUM and Caritas, we are creating something here that goes far beyond individual buildings: a place where research, education, and care are permanently linked. This project is groundbreaking - for our market, for the region, and for the question of how we can respond to demographic change with responsibility and confidence.”
Future lab for nursing and health
The Garmisch-Partenkirchen campus presented itself at TUM's new research location as a place of innovation where research, teaching, and nursing practice are closely interlinked. The aim of the strong research and impact partnership between Caritas, TUM, and the market town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen is to consistently apply scientific findings through interdisciplinary expertise, thereby contributing to the further development of nursing and care. The three partners are aware of the strategic and social significance of their project: “Our aim is not only to research innovation, but also to work together with nursing practice, science and politics to effectively transfer it into care,” explained Caritas Director Dr. Hermann Sollfrank. “Today's visit underscores the importance of the campus as a future laboratory for nursing and health,” continued the CEO of the Caritas Association Munich-Freising.
Image and attractiveness drivers for nursing care
In conversation with the Minister of State, it became clear that the campus is making a decisive contribution to coping with demographic change and at the same time strengthening the attractiveness of the nursing profession in the region. The starting point is clear: Garmisch-Partenkirchen is one of the oldest districts in Bavaria, with over 25 percent of the population over the age of 65 and 7 to 11 percent already over 80. The influx of older people and the exodus of younger generations are further exacerbating this trend. "We want to show that nursing is a highly innovative, responsible, and attractive career field. We conduct research and provide training in the context of modern technologies that provide meaningful support and open up new perspectives,“ said Caritas board member Gabriele Stark-Angermeier. ”Our joint research aims to strengthen independence and social participation in old age, as well as safety – whether through robotics, intelligent assistance systems, or new care models," she emphasized.
Practical demonstrations of innovative care technologies
A particular focus of the visit was on practical demonstrations in the research center's test laboratories: the GARMI assistance robot and its successor, GARMI 1.1, which was unveiled for the first time, illustrated how technology can make care more human. GARMI demonstrated its potential to relieve the burden on nursing staff, for example by safely navigating a nursing trolley. Applications such as these create more freedom for nursing staff – time that directly benefits people. Whereas GARMI previously only responded to users' questions in writing on a screen, GARMI 1.1 now uses a voice and conducts conversations.
Minister Gerlach was given the opportunity to try out controlling a robot herself – more specifically, “teleoperation” via virtual reality. This technology enables medical, nursing, and emotional support, regardless of where people live or are located, especially for older people in rural areas.
Gerlach then tried out one of the exoskeletons developed at TUM. These are supportive suit systems that help both nursing staff and older people save energy in everyday life.
Alexander König, head of the Chair of Robotics and System Intelligence, explains the state of development of assistive robotics made in Germany: “A number of converging trends are finally making it possible to bring robotics out of the lab and into the real world. These include better algorithms, increased computing power, and more affordable hardware. The timing couldn't be better, because our aging society will present us with enormous challenges in the coming years, and we need to start working intensively on solutions today. Robotics and AI are key factors here.”
Exchange on prevention in the social space
There was a particular focus on solutions and services for care and prevention in the GAP social space, as found in the context of a future care center on the Gestaltung campus: “Prevention, rehabilitation, and care must be considered even more closely together in the future,” said Caritas board member Professor Sollfrank. “Support programs such as the PflegesoNahFöR program provide an important basis for implementing future concepts of social space orientation close to the people.”
Minister of State Gerlach's visit underscored the role of the Garmisch-Partenkirchen campus as a central driving force for sustainable, technology-supported care and needs-based care in old age.