Katrin Staffler, the Federal Government's Special Envoy for Long-Term Care, Impressed by the Garmisch-Partenkirchen Campus

Garmisch-Partenkirchen, July 5, 2026 - How can care remain humane, efficient, and effective in the future? What concrete contribution can digital technologies and robotics make to ease the burden on caregivers and free up more time for direct work with people? Katrin Staffler, the Federal Government’s Commissioner for Nursing Care, received answers to these pressing questions about the future of nursing care during her visit to the Garmisch-Partenkirchen campus: “We talk time and again about how digital and technical innovations can make nursing care future-proof,” said Staffler. “The campus demonstrates in a very practical way the potential that arises when science, nursing, and local partners pool their expertise. Such projects can make an important contribution to supporting nursing care in areas where they provide immediate added value for people in need of care and for all groups involved in providing that care."

Together with local elected officials, Staffler visited the site to see firsthand how the Geriatronics Research Center, in collaboration with its campus partners LongLeif GaPa gGmbH and the Caritas Association of Munich and Freising e. V., is developing and testing innovative solutions for long-term care.  

Nurses as Co-Researchers
The Campus Project brings together research, nursing, education, and age-appropriate housing in one location and embodies close collaboration between practice, technology, and science. Nurses are actively involved in developing practical solutions tailored to the actual needs of care. Katrin Staffler was able to experience firsthand just how far along these developments already are: In the robotics workshop, she operated a robotic arm and gained a direct impression of how these technologies are used in practice.

Daniel Schimmer, mayor of the town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, added: “The campus is a flagship project whose influence extends far beyond the region. Here, we are working together to find solutions to one of the most pressing social challenges of our time. Ms. Staffler’s visit underscores the nationwide significance of this approach.”
 

Using Technology Strategically to Reduce the Burden on Caregivers
In the research center’s test apartments, interdisciplinary teams of scientists and nursing professionals, led by Dr. Martina Kohlhuber, demonstrated assistive systems and robotic solutions that support older adults in their daily lives while simultaneously reducing the burden on caregivers. The focus is on practical development under real-world conditions, with the goal of streamlining caregiving tasks and organizational processes through reliable technical systems and digitalization. At the same time, the campus enhances the appeal of the nursing profession: the use of modern technologies opens up new career prospects and makes training more future-proof. At the affiliated vocational school, a learning environment is being created in which nursing and cutting-edge technology are naturally integrated and taught together. Alexander König, head of the Chair of Robotics and System Intelligence, emphasized the role of technology: “Robotics is not a substitute for human care—it creates the conditions for it. When intelligent assistance systems take over physically demanding or repetitive tasks, nursing staff gain time for what defines their work: personal contact. It is precisely these technologies that we are developing together with their future users.”

Clear Framework Conditions as a Prerequisite for Innovation
During the concluding discussion on the future of care, the use of robotic assistance systems, and the further expansion of the campus, it became clear that for technological innovations to realize their full potential, reliable political and financial framework conditions are necessary. Sustainable care also requires taking into account the needs of those requiring care, their family members, staff, and all areas of care provision.