Zuzwil SG Pensioner couple not allowed into care home - now the canton is to decide

Klara and Hans Künzli are not allowed to move into the Lindenbaum nursing home in Zuzwil SG. The reason: their daughter and the president of the care home committee have fallen out.

Retired couple Klara and Hans Künzli have lived in Züberwangen SG since 1956. Klara Künzli is originally from Germany and Hans Künzli from Toggenbrug, writes the "Tagblatt" in 2023. They lived a good life in the small village in eastern Switzerland. Mr. Künzli held office as village president in Züberwangen and was very involved in the village. Klara Künzli was involved in the women's club, the gymnastics club and the Catholic parish. She is now 90 years old and he is 88. The couple currently live in the Sonnmatt nursing home in Niederuzwil. Their greatest wish is to move into the Lindenbaum nursing home in Zuzwil SG. But the home refuses.

The case history is long. Why can't a retired couple move into a nursing home? One could assume that the nursing home no longer has any free space, or that the couple cannot afford the stay. The real reason is more personal.

Daughter falls out with care home committee president

Monika Kleinburger, the Künzlis' daughter, worked at the Lindenbaum residential and nursing home in Zuzwil-Weieren from 2013 to 2021, but resigned after conflicts with the home's management. At the time, the team did not want Kleinburger to leave. The fear was that other employees would resign.

According to Kleinburger, this is exactly what happened. Other nursing staff have resigned. That's why she believes: "Roland Hardegger still resents what happened after I resigned to this day." The mayor of Zuzwil, who is also the president of the care home committee, refused to admit her to the home.

Now Kleinburger's parents are suffering as a result. Klara and Hans Künzli are not allowed to move into the Lindenbaum nursing home.

Since then, the couple and the municipality have been arguing back and forth. The municipality has rejected the family's latest settlement proposal, according to emails from their lawyers. This indicates that the conflict remains unresolved.

Now the canton should decide

The pensioners have now had enough. The family has decided to take the case to the canton. Daughter Monika Kleinburger says: "My family very much wanted us to be able to end the story with a settlement and draw a line under it. The fact that this is not possible makes me sad and angry at the same time."

What happened to the family was unjust and that's why they wanted to keep fighting. Kleinburger says: "My parents were denied entry to the home for reasons that had nothing to do with them."

In June, the family's lawyer proposed an out-of-court settlement in which the municipality would contribute CHF 18,000 to the non-resident surcharge. This surcharge is levied when people move into a retirement or nursing home from out of town, and the Künzlis pay more than 30,000 francs extra at the Sonnmatt senior center.

Canton's decision not yet known

At the beginning of 2023, the Künzlis took the case to the canton, but the proceedings were paused to allow for an out-of-court settlement. This attempt has now finally failed. It is unclear when the canton will deal with the case.

But what will the Künzlis do if the canton decides against the family's wishes? "We don't know yet," says the daughter. And then adds: "At least this ruling will come from a body that is not emotionally involved in the issue."