Find a nursing home in Zurich
Zurich hosts around 127 verified nursing homes across its twelve city districts, serving one of Europe's oldest urban populations — roughly a fifth of residents are over 65, and the canton projects sharp growth in the over-80 cohort through the 2030s. The city itself operates a large municipal network (Gesundheitszentren für das Alter) alongside cantonal, foundation-run and private houses, so options range from neighbourhood Quartieraltersheime in Aussersihl or Wiedikon to larger integrated care campuses on the hillsides above the lake. Zurich also draws long-term residents from the wider Limmat valley, Zug and expatriate communities working in finance and pharma, many of whom prefer bilingual German–English care settings. Waiting lists are common in central districts, particularly for dementia-specialised beds.
The market is fragmented rather than chain-dominated. The city's own Gesundheitszentren für das Alter operate high-capacity houses such as Wildbach in Enge, Laubegg in Wollishofen and Dorflinde in Oerlikon, providing integrated nursing, dementia and palliative wings. Foundation and parish houses fill the middle tier: Quartieraltersheim Aussersihl serves the dense inner-city west, while Alters- und Pflegezentrum Herrenbergli sits in the quieter hills above Enge. Smaller specialised settings — including Wohnpflegeheim Häuptli and the disability-focused Wohnhaus auf der Rüti (units A–C and Pavillon D) — cover residents with complex needs. Affiliations with the Universitätsspital Zürich and Stadtspital Triemli/Waid support acute transfers and geriatric consulting across most municipal and larger private houses.
Pricing & coverage
Long-term nursing care in Zurich is split into three billing streams under the KVG framework. Care costs (Pflegeleistungen) are tariffed by BESA/RAI minutes: KVG pays a federal contribution of roughly CHF 9–108 per day depending on care level, residents pay a capped CHF 23/day, and the canton covers the residual — often CHF 50–250/day for heavy care. Board and lodging (Hotellerie) is uninsured and typically CHF 150–280/day in the city, higher in premium houses. Short-term rehabilitation stays and palliative admissions follow separate KVG rules. Tariff details and the ordinance framework are published via the federal health office and Swissmedic for medicinal-product oversight.
Emergencies & out-of-hours care
For life-threatening events, call 144 for ambulance or the pan-European 112; the fire and police lines are 118 and 117. Zurich's acute geriatric emergencies are handled primarily at Universitätsspital Zürich (Rämistrasse) and Stadtspital Zürich Triemli and Waid, all with 24/7 emergency departments. Out-of-hours GP triage runs through the cantonal Ärztefon on 0800 33 66 55, which dispatches home visits or refers to the permanence clinics at Zurich HB and the airport. Most nursing homes maintain an on-call physician rota and a direct line to the affiliated hospital for after-hours transfers.
Frequently asked questions
How long are waiting lists in central Zurich? Waiting times vary sharply by district and care level. Municipal houses in Kreis 1, 6 and 7 — including Herrenbergli and several Gesundheitszentren — often have waits of six to eighteen months for standard long-term beds, while dementia-specialised units can exceed two years. Outer districts such as Schwamendingen, Affoltern and Oerlikon tend to place residents within three to six months. The city's central intake office (Zentrale Anlaufstelle Alter) coordinates applications and can prioritise urgent hospital discharges, which typically bypass the standard queue.
Which nursing homes accept English-speaking residents? Most larger municipal houses employ multilingual nursing staff, and several private and foundation homes near the lake and in Zurich-Nord actively serve expatriate residents from the finance and pharma sectors. English-language care planning, family conferences and documentation are more consistently available in private houses and in the Gesundheitszentren located in international-heavy districts such as Enge, Seefeld and Oerlikon. Ask specifically about English-speaking case management and Advance Care Planning; day-to-day nursing may still be conducted in Swiss German.
Do KVG supplementary insurances change which home I can enter? Basic KVG does not restrict your choice of nursing home within your canton of residence. Supplementary (VVG) insurances mainly affect hospital comfort tiers and some rehabilitation options, not standard nursing-home admission. However, private houses often set their own board-and-lodging rates well above the cantonal reference, and residents without VVG or private means may need to rely on Ergänzungsleistungen (supplementary benefits) administered by the city's SVA Zürich office to cover the gap.
Are dementia-specialised units widely available? Yes. Zurich has invested heavily in secure dementia wings (Demenzabteilungen) across the municipal network, including at Wildbach, Laubegg and Dorflinde, and in foundation houses such as Herrenbergli. Beds remain tight: expect longer waits and a formal cognitive assessment via a memory clinic (Universitätsspital or Stadtspital Waid) before admission. Some smaller Quartieraltersheime offer integrated rather than segregated dementia care, which suits residents in earlier stages who benefit from a mixed community.
Can younger adults with disabilities be placed in Zurich nursing homes? Not usually in mainstream Alterszentren. Younger adults with physical or cognitive disabilities are typically placed in dedicated Wohnheime such as Wohnhaus auf der Rüti (units A–C and Pavillon D) or comparable IV-funded institutions. Financing runs through federal disability insurance (IV) and cantonal supplementary benefits rather than the KVG nursing tariff. The city's Sozialdepartement and Pro Infirmis Zurich office advise families on placement and funding routes.
Safety note
This directory is informational only and is not medical advice; please consult a licensed nursing home, treating physician or the cantonal intake service for individual clinical and placement decisions.